Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 12, 1 December 2023 — NEWS FOR THE LĀHUI OHA Approves $6 Million for Hawaiian Focused Public Charter Schools [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NEWS FOR THE LĀHUI OHA Approves $6 Million for Hawaiian Focused Public Charter Schools

By Ed Kalama Seventeen Hawaiian-focused puhlie charter schools will be receiving a total of $6 million in support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) over the next two fiscal years. At their October meeting, trustees approved a $2.7 million Hawaiian Focused Charter School Fund Administration Grant to Kanu o ka 'Āina Learning 'Ohana (KALO) to manage per pupil funding support for 16 of these schools. Since Kanu o ka Aina New Century Puhlie Charter School is an educational partner of KALO, their funds - $300,000 in per pupil funding and $150,000 in facilities support - will be administered directly by OHA. In Lebruary 2023, OHA awarded a $2.85 million grant to KALO to administer a new phase of the charter school grant intended to support unmet facilities needs. A recent survey among these charters revealed that every single program reported the need for facilities assistance. Of the more than 4,000 students who attend Hawaiian-focused charter schools, 77 percent of them are of Native Hawaiian ancestry. Since 2005, OHA has provided more than $21.5 million in per pupil grant funding to 17 Hawaiian-focused puhlie charter schools. "We need to ensure that our Hawaiian-focused charter schools have the resources necessary to implement a curriculum grounded in olelo Hawai'i, 'ike Hawai'i, and Hawaiian cultural values," said OHA Board Chair Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey. "With these funds, schools ean self-determine how to best provide the educational equity needed to serve their students and have resources available for needed building repair and maintenance." Lindsey added that KALO has continually shown its support for these charter schools through its tireless advocacy at all levels, and the network of engagement it provides the schools through meetings, conferences, and visits. Charter schools face challenges in securing funding for their facilities because they do not receive any Capital Improvement Project or repair or maintenance funds from the state. Data published during the 2019-2020 school year showed puhlie schools received $17,475 per pupil while puhlie charter schools received $9,697 in per pupil funding ffom the state. OHA has been a consistent supporter of Ha-waiian-focused charter schools, providing legislative advocacy and programmatic support, as well as grant funding support. ■

HdIdu KO Mana Public Charter School on O'ahu. - Courtesy Photo

. 1 h\ MA ee'" Waimea Middle School on Hawai'i Island. - Photo: Jason Lees