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A closer examination of resource allocations using research based best practices to promote student learning: case studies of Hawaiian-focused charter schools in Hawaii

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A closer examination of resource allocations using research based best practices to promote student learning: case studies of Hawaiian-focused charter schools in Hawaii

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A CLOSER EXAMINATION OF RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS USING
RESEARCH BASED BEST PRACTICES TO PROMOTE STUDENT LEARNING:
CASE STUDIES OF HAWAIIAN-FOCUSED CHARTER SCHOOLS IN HAWAII

by

Brandon Keoni Bunag

_________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

August 2012

Copyright 2012 Brandon Keoni Bunag

ii
DEDICATION

No kuʻu mau keiki i aloha nui ‘ia
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To kuʻu mau kūpuna and nā ʻaumākua o neia pae ʻāina, mahalo for your
wisdom, guidance and foresight that you bring to me at random times of the day or
night.
To my mom, your never-ending love and support has guided me throughout
these years and has brought me to this place of academic achievement. You have
truly built a solid foundation and have set an exemplar example of how much a
parent’s love can really influence a child’s life. Love you much!!
To my USC Hawaii cohort of 2012, mahalo nui for all the wonderful
weekends spent together. It was truly an awesome ride and the food was always
good. Mahalo to all of the USC professors who taught our cohort for sharing your
expertise and wisdom with us. Dr Larry Picus – thanks for always having faith and
believing in me.
To my co-workers, you are the best. Thanks for all of your support,
understanding, and most of all your patience – especially in the final weeks of
finishing this piece.
To each of the Hawaiian-focused charter schools that participated in this
study (you know who you are)…pauʻole kuʻu aloha iā ʻoukou pākahi.
Last, but nowhere near the least, to my wife, my best friend and mother of
our children, for your endless love, support, and understanding…I love you more
than words could ever express.

iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication ii
Acknowledgements iii
List of Tables v
List of Figures vii
Abstract ix
Chapter 1: Overview of Study 1
Chapter 2: Literature Review 19
Chapter 3: Methods 60
Chapter 4: Findings 72
Chapter 5: Discussion 110
References 129
Appendices 136
Appendix A: Open-Ended Data Collection Protocol 136
Appendix B: Case Study 1: Aloha Academy 139
Appendix C: Case Study 2: Kilakila Academy 160
Appendix D: Case Study 3: Naauao Academy 183
Appendix E: Invitation to Participate in Study 204
Appendix F: Information/Fact Sheet for Non-Medical Research 205

v
LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1. Percent of Students Proficient in Reading by School Year 62
Table 3.2. Percent of Students Proficient in Math by School Year 63
Table 3.3. School Sample Resource Indicators 64
Table 3.4. School Resources 65
Table 4.1. Implementation of 10 Strategies at Sample Schools 100
Table 4.2. Comparisons of Class Sizes in the EBM vs. Sample Schools 103
Table 4.3. Schools’ Resource Allocation Comparison to EBM 105
Table B.1. Aloha Academy Implementation of Odden’s 10 Steps for 153
Doubling Student Performance
Table B.2. School Profile Comparison: Aloha Academy and Evidence 155
Based Model (EBM) School
Table B.3. Resource Comparison: Aloha Academy and Evidence Based 156
Model (EBM) for Adequate School Resources
Table C.1. Nā Ala Hoʻokele (Kilakila Acad em y’s Guiding Principles) 162
Table C.2. Elementary School Bell Schedule 173
Table C.3. Middle and High School Bell Schedule 174
Table C.4. Kilakila Academy's Implementation of Odden’s 10 Steps for 178
Doubling Student Performance
Table C.5. School Profile Comparison: Kilakila Academy and Evidence 180
Based Model (EBM) School
Table C.6. Resource Comparison: Kilakila Academy and Evidence
Based Model (EBM) for Adequate School Resources 181
Table D.1. Naauao Academy’s Mission 185
vi
Table D.2. Naauao Academy's Implementation of Odden’s 10 Steps for 196
Doubling Student Performance
Table D.3. School Profile Comparison: Naauao Academy and Evidence 199
Based Model (EBM) School
Table D.4. Resource Comparison: Naauao Academy and Evidence Based 200
Model (EBM) for Adequate School Resources

vii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1. Average reading scores for Hawaiian students compared to 7
all students
Figure 1.2. Average math scores of Hawaiian students compared to 7
all students
Figure 1.3. Student/teacher ethnic comparison in Hawaii DOE schools 9
Figure 4.1. Demographics of sample schools, 2010 75
Figure 4.2. Percent proficient or better on reading HSA of three sample 79
schools
Figure 4.3. Percent proficient or better on reading HSA of Asian/Pacific 80
Islander subgroup
Figure 4.4. Percent proficient or better on math HSA of three sample 81
schools
Figure 4.5. Percent proficient or better on math HSA of Asian/Pacific 82
Islander subgroup
Figure B.1. Aloha Academy enrollment 140
Figure B.2. Aloha Academy reading AYP (% of students proficient 142
or above)
Figure B.3. Aloha Academy math AYP (% of students proficient or 143
above)
Figure C.1. Kilakila Academy enrollment 161
Figure C.2. Kilakila Academy reading AYP (% of students proficient 163
or above)
Figure C.3. Kilakila Academy math AYP (% of students proficient 164
or above)
Figure D.1. Naauao Academy enrollment 184
viii
Figure D.2. Naauao Academy reading AYP (% of students proficient 186
or above)
Figure D.3. Naauao Academy math AYP (% of students proficient 187
or above)

ix
ABSTRACT
While much of the public conversations surrounding K-12 education in
Hawaii are focused on the challenges that traditional public schools are facing,
Hawaiian-focused charter schools are no different in that they face the same issues
and often have an even more difficult time marshaling the resources necessary to
realize the dreams of their founders. With the current economic uncertainties and the
significant number of Hawaiian focused charter schools struggling to meet the
demands outlined in No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the efficient use of limited
resources to drive instruction and produce results is more important than ever. In
these small schools, financial concerns such as declining enrollment and outdated
infrastructure combine with instructional issues such as professional development
and teacher recruitment and retention may stymie the innovation that is inherently
expected of charter schools in general. As a result, this study seeks to better
understand the unique challenges that face Hawaiian-focused charter schools,
specifically studying their resource allocation and how it links to their instructional
strategies and performance by examining three start-up schools in Hawaii. The study
uses both the Evidence-Based Model (EBM) detailed by Odden and Picus (2008)
and Odden’s (2009) Ten Strategies for Doubling Student Performance as
organizational frameworks in the analysis of each schools’s resource use and
implementation of instructional strategies. The results of the study support the
efficient allocation of resources and implementation of research-based instructional
strategies outlined in the EBM and Odden’s work.
1
CHAPTER 1
OVERVIEW OF STUDY
Introduction
During the latter half of the most recent century, the American educational
system has focused predominantly on outputs and while doing so has invested large
sums of money. With the economic crisis affecting the U.S. at large as well as state
and local governments, there is increasing attention to the return on investment in
education. Schools are now becoming the focus of increased accountability.
Over the years, schools have been expected to produce citizens that will
contribute to and function in society, meaning that the curriculum taught in U.S.
schools has adapted to the outside political, social, economic, and religious pressures
based on societal values and needs of the times (Spring, 2009). In 1992, a report
from National Council on Education Standards and Testing stated,
High standards for student attainment are critical to enhancing America’s
competitiveness. The quality of human capital, the knowledge and skills of
labor management, helps determine a nation’s ability to compete in the world
marketplace. International comparisons, however, consistently show that the
academic performance of American students is below that of students in
many developed countries. The relative deficiency in America’s human
capital contributes to the inability of many firms in the United States to
compete internationally. Low skill levels many also be impeding American
business from shifting to newer, more efficient methods of production that
require greater responsibility and skill on the part of the front-line workers.
These deficiencies likely affect the standard of living of all Americans, but
the effects are felt most keenly by those who do not have adequate skills.
(p. 11)

Global competitiveness has surfaced over the years turning the focus toward
accountability of U.S. school systems and their outputs, which is measured by
2
standardized testing (Spring, 2009). Along with global competiveness is a push for
financial accountability regarding where and how the money is being spent. The mix
of standardized testing, financial accountability, and a down economy places heavy
pressures on schools to produce academic results that satisfy not only federal
mandates and state standards, but also that of the general populace which has its own
expectations of the education system.
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is a high-stakes accountability system
that has become the driving force behind change within U.S. public schools (Hinde,
2003). NCLB mandates that each state set standards for student achievement in each
grade, which translates into goals that each student needs to reach by that specific
grade level. For schools that fail to meet their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
goals, set by states, sanctions are imposed on the schools. Additionally, as a federal
mandate, NCLB has set the goal of all schools achieving 100% proficiency by the
year 2014.
Schools have become the focus of accountability and are being held to
ambitious goals, like 100% proficiency by 2014. Determining how to use limited,
sometimes decreasing, resources to meet the demands will require school leaders, as
well as policy makers, district administrators and even teachers to support each other
in making the strategic decisions about aligning resources to significantly increase
student achievement.
3
History of Education in Hawaii
By the 1800’s when New England missionaries arrived on the shores of
Hawaii, the Hawaiian people had already established a sophisticated way of life that
included technological advances in self sustenance (Kelly, 1989) and a very
structured society that included laws that were established to maintain societal order
(Kameeleihiwa, 1992). The evidence of an advanced civilization strongly infers that
education was a significant aspect traditional Hawaiian society and that its purpose
was continued existence.
Contemporary views of education reflect a rigorous curriculum aimed at
achieving academic standards that are arbitrarily established by federal and state
government agencies. The standards-based movement was spurred by a federal
report A Nation at Risk (1983). Subsequently, national content organizations began
to establish goals and benchmarks for their respective content areas, thus becoming
standards. From a national standpoint, standards serve three purposes. First,
standards clarify the expectations for students. The second is to raise those
expectations and the third purpose is to provide common targets that help assure
equitable educational expectations, opportunities, and experiences for all students
(HIDOE). These purposes serve as foundational guidelines for the development of
content and performance standards in Hawaii today.
In comparison, the purpose of education for early Hawaiians was to ensure
that the daily lifestyles of a sophisticated civilization were taught to the next
generation. It is not to say that early Hawaiian education did not establish standards
4
or norms of excellence, rather the purposes for educating the populace was different
from contemporary purposes of education. A taro field will continue to feed the
community so long as farmers continue to teach and train new farmers. Similarly,
the ocean will continue to feed the community so long as fishermen teach the
traditions and practices of fishing. Embedded within these two cultural practices are
standards of their own, standards which contemporary farmers and fishermen spend
a lifetime to attain.
When missionaries “formalized” education, Hawaiians continued to
demonstrate their strong interest, intent and ability to learn (Meyer, 2003). In 1832,
just 10 years after the Hawaiian alphabet was fixed into print, there were 53,000
students attending 900 plus schools in the Hawaiian Kingdom (Meyer, 2003). The
ability for Hawaiians to learn is best identified in literacy rates among the Hawaiian
population. By the 1860’s, literacy amongst the Hawaiian population in the
Hawaiian Kingdom was “almost universal” (Silva, 2004, p. 55). Shortly before the
annexation of Hawaii to the United States, Hawaiians had the highest literacy rate
among other ethnicities (Wilson & Kamana, 2008) in the Republic.
Over a century later, the statistics are dismal in comparison. Hawaiians are
no longer among the top ranking in educational performance. Instead, they are
among the lowest achieving ethnic groups in Hawaii. Hawaiian students’ math and
reading scores rank behind the total public school averages by approximately 10
percentiles across all grade levels tested (Kanaiaupuni, Malone & Ishibashi, 2005).
Education, as pre-contact Hawaiians knew it, no longer existed. It’s something
5
different, unrecognizable, and irrelevant to the daily lives of the Hawaiian people
(Benham & Heck, 1998).
With the societal and political changes that took place in the latter years of
the Hawaiian Kingdom (Osorio, 2002), “formalized” education took on new intents
that have carried on to the present day. The values and morals embedded in
mainstream school curriculum reflect a worldview that is foreign and unrecognizable
to Hawaiians and is meant to “assimilate, at times forcibly, minority and native
populations so that they would have a more Eurocentric culture and language”
(Kaiwi & Kahumoku, 2006, p. 185). More detrimental to Hawaiians is that the
Western perspective of knowledge and the understanding of that knowledge are
narrow to the extent that many Hawaiian students have difficulty connecting these
facts to their daily lives (Kaiwi & Kahumoku, 2006). The absence of culturally
relevant curricula and teaching strategies has significantly contributed to the
achievement gap between Hawaiian students and their school-aged peers in
mainstream public education, known as the Hawaii Department of Education
(HIDOE).
Within the last one-quarter of a century, great strides have been made to
design programs and curricula that attempt to infuse and acknowledge the great
value that Hawaiian culture has in education (Kawakami, 2004). While these
programs have taken the first steps to bring culturally relevant curriculum and
teaching strategies back into the classroom, an achievement gap still exists. Tibbetts
(2002) noted that for students in grade 3, the percentile rank of the average reading
6
score was 38, 47 for grade 6 and 40 for grade 8. Hawaiian students’ percentile rank
was 27 for grade 3, 37 for grade 6, and 29 for grade 8 (Tibbetts, 2002). Math scores
for Hawaiian students also mirror this image in that not only are they below the
average, but they also deteriorate in the secondary level (Tibbetts, 2002). Figure 1.1
below shows the comparison in reading scores and Figure 1.2 shows the comparison
in math scores.
Kanaiaupuni and Kawaiaea (2008) state, “Momentum is building among
Hawaiian indigenous educators and supporters of change to redefine education
through strategies building upon a cultural framework for education” (p. 68). One
such strategy is the establishment of Hawaiian-focused charter schools.
Hawaiian-focused charter schools are public charter schools that were created
to address the academic achievement gap between Hawaiian students and their
school-aged counterparts. Through culturally grounded curriculum and focus on
Hawaiian cultural way of learning, these schools provide an alternative to the
traditional public school in Hawaii. A deeper discussion about Hawaiian-focused
charter schools is conducted in Chapter 2.

7

Figure 1.1. Average reading scores for Hawaiian students compared to all students

Figure 1.2. Average math scores of Hawaiian students compared to all students

0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
3rd Grade 6th Grade 8th Grade
Average Reading Scores
All Students
Hawaiian Students
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
3rd Grade 6th Grade 8th Grade
Average Math Scores
All Students
Hawaiian Students
8
Background of the State of Hawaii’s Accountability Framework
Hawaii’s public school system is unique in that all K-12 public schools
compose the only state-run school district in the United States. The district is led by
a state superintendent and supported by 15 complex area superintendents who act
under the superintendent’s direction. Until recently, the Hawaii Board of Education
comprised of individual who were elected to their positions. Recent legislative
action provided for the Governor of Hawaii to appoint Board of Education members.
In addition to this highly centralized governance structure is the fact that the local
teachers union, Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA), represents all public
school teachers in the State and negotiate for one contract for all state teachers every
two years.
The public school system in Hawaii is comprised of 289 schools, with an
enrollment of 178,649 students in the 2009-2010 school year. The student
population is diverse with a high percentage of indigenous and immigrant groups.
Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian students make up approximately 27% of the public school
population followed by Filipinos at 21%, Caucasians at 15% and Japanese at 9%
(Superintendent’s Report, 2009-2010). Teaching these students are approximately
13,000 teachers. Most teachers, however, have not taught in the same school for
more than 5 years and 50% of all new teachers continue to be recruited from outside
the State (Superintendent’s Report, 2009-2010). The most newest teachers, and
partly due to high turnover, are placed in areas with the highest needs, such as the
Leeward Coast on Oahu. The teachers are also a very diverse population with 27%
9
being Japanese, 20% Caucasian and up to 30% Other (Superintendent’s Report,
2009-2010). When compared to the diverse student population, there is a
disproportion between student and teacher ethnic backgrounds, particularly for
Hawaiian /Part Hawaiians, Filipinos, and Japanese. Figure 1.3 highlights the
disparity between student and teacher ethnic background.

Figure 1.3. Student/teacher ethnic comparison in Hawaii DOE schools

As the U.S. tries to hold schools accountable for student learning, so does
Hawaii. Hawaii has employed a state content and performance standard for its
public K-12 students, however a system of accountability was not put in place until
after the passage of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Hess & Squire,
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Hawaii DOE Student/Teacher Ethnic
Comparison
Students
Teachers
10
2009). The Department of Education Planning and Evaluation Office created the
Accountability Framework in November of 2003. Within this framework they
combined laws and initiatives from the State’s Act 238 (Session Laws of Hawaii,
2000), the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and the Department’s
Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP). Although each of these laws and initiatives had
goals of raising student academic achievement, imbedded within them were different
foci that needed to be joined together in what the DOE describes as a holistic
framework. For instance the State’s Act 238 not only implemented an educational
accountability system for Hawaii’s public schools that would measure and report on
the attainment of statewide content and performance standards, but it also
recommended the central accountability include the safety and well-being of
students, and the civic responsibility among students. The SIP outlined 91 strategic
actions for the implementation of standards for all schools, complex areas, offices,
and all major stakeholders (students, teachers, administrators, staff, specialists,
superintendent, parents, and community members). Lastly, NCLB mandated school
accountability and prescribed operational details applied to public schools. In
response to these different laws and initiatives the Department of Education formed
an Accountability Workgroup, a Measures Workgroup, and a Data Workgroup to
create an accountability model that would promote continuous improvement and
achievement of the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards in Hawaii’s public
schools (Hess & Squire, 2009).
11
In 2004, Hawaii’s legislature adopted Act 51, the Reinventing Education Act,
which among other changes overhauled the state funding formula by changing it to a
weighted student formula (WSF). Though the governor vetoed this legislation, it
passed and was strongly supported by the Board of Education, the superintendent,
and the Department of Education (Hess & Squire, 2009). Act 51 granted increased
HIDOE control over school facilities and maintenance, and School Community
Councils implemented at every school with a principal as member having the final
call on all decisions. Although the allocation method for funding as well as the push
for standards-based learning have moved forward, much less emphasis has been
placed on resource allocation and its effect on student achievement. This oversight
is not exclusive to the state of Hawaii.
Statement of the Problem
Across majority of the literature regarding charter schools, Hawaiian-focused
charter schools in particular, there is a recurring theme of inadequate resources.
With recent State budget cuts, HFCS have also lost significant amounts of resources,
when in fact, they already had less resources to begin with (Creamer, 2010). Despite
this disadvantage, HFCS are still seeing success, though at times minimal. Much of
the success are being credited to the culture-based pedagogical strategies that HFCS
value (Kanaiaupuni et al., 2005; Kamehameha Schools, 2008).
With increasing accountability demands, such as the mandates of No Child
Left Behind, to which charter schools are still being held accountable, charter school
leaders are faced with a delicate balancing act. On the one hand, charter schools face
12
a decreasing budget, which sometime is de-stabilized when there is a lot of attrition
in student enrollment. In the other hand, there are increasing pressures, internally
and externally, for student achievement. Overarching these factors is the need for
charter schools to maintain their autonomy in the development of innovative
approaches and new methods that may prove to result in better student achievement
than regular public schools. This study seeks to understand how HFCS allocate the
limited resources provided, maintain a sense of autonomy over the curriculum and
seek to increase student academic achievement.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to examine the resource allocation practices in
three Hawaiian-focused charter schools in Hawaii. Odden and Picus’ (2008)
Evidence-based model was used as a framework for understanding and analyzing the
use of school resources that promoted student achievement. A deeper discussion is
also provided regarding the allocation of resources that are aimed at strengthening
school leadership, development of professional learning communities and teacher
instructional quality and productivity through professional development activities, in
addition to other supports that promote positive student achievement outcomes,
thereby reducing the achievement gap between Hawaiian-focused charter schools
and regular Hawaii public schools.
13
Research Questions
This study seeks to address the following research questions:
1. What are the current instructional vision and improvement strategies at
the school sites?
2. How are resource allocations patterns at the Hawaiian Focused Charter
school sites aligned with, or differ from, the resource use
recommendations in the Evidence-Based Model?
3. How have allocation of resources supported the school’s instructional
strategies used to carry out the school’s instructional improvement plan?
Importance of the Study
Hawaiian-focused charter schools are a viable alternative to the mainstream
Hawaii DOE schools. This study provides insight to the connections between the
allocation of resources and student achievement in Hawaiian-focused charter
schools. The descriptions include not only how the school itself allocates its
resources, but also the specific structures and activities that the school employs along
with student achievement results, such as professional development and professional
learning communities as it was used to promote student achievement. With a
sampling size that this study represents, the descriptions may help provide guidance
to other Hawaiian-focused charter schools, other charter schools, the State DOE,
Hawaii’s legislature and school leadership when creating budgets and faced with
hard decisions in choosing quality programs and structures that all support the
achievement of students. With an increasing demand for accountability, especially
14
for Hawaii’s charter schools, charter school leaders will have to develop
comprehensive plans that demonstrate an understanding of both school and
classroom practice that attribute to student achievement.
Limitations
The following limitations will apply to this study:
The applicability of the Evidence-Based Model (EBM) in Hawaii is limited
considering the state’s finance policy and implementation of the weighted student
formula. For example, the current school funding formula does not allow for full
implementation of the EBM. Although HFCS are afforded the ability to seek and
obtain external grants, not all schools being studied, if any, may have had the
resources to implement the strategies.
The data being collected at each school is dependent on how accurate and
detailed the schools were with collecting and maintaining their data.
Delimitations
The following delimitations apply to this study:
• This study will be confined to three schools and the data collected will be
limited to the school year 2011-2012. This does not allow for the results
to be generalized across the other HFCS or to the broader public schools.
• This study will not include any district or department allocations policies
and priorities.
15
• The researcher cannot control for any bias during interview nor can he
control the willingness of participants to participate in the interview.
• The three schools selected is a random selection.
Assumptions
This study relied upon the honesty and accurate memories, perceptions and
portrayal of programs, expenditures, and other events by the principals in the various
interviews. It is also assumed that the information gathered will be reflective of the
current practices at the school.
Definitions
Accountability: Systems that hold students, schools, or districts responsible
for academic performance.
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP):
A goal of the 2001 federal law No Child Left Behind (NCLB) that requires
schools and districts to measure and report students’ annual progress toward
proficiency in English/language arts and mathematics by 2013-14. Progress is
based on whether the school or district met its Annual Measurable Objectives
and demonstrated 95% participation on standardized tests, achieved its target
on the Academic Performance Index and, for high schools, met target
graduation rates. (Ed-Data, 2008)

Charter Schools: Primary and secondary schools that receive public funding
but are granted, via a charter, a level of autonomy that exempts them from certain
rules, regulations and statutes that apply to other publics schools in exchange for an
accountability system that produces results.
Costs: expenditures incurred to produce a certain outcome.
16
Effective Professional Development: “Professional development that
produces change in teachers’ classroom-based instructional practice, which can be
linked to improvements in student learning” (Odden, Archibald, Fermanich, &
Gallagher, 2002, p. 53).
Evidence Based model: School instructional improvement design grounded
in scientifically based research and widely documented effective practice based on
resource allocation associated with achieving desired/required student achievement
outcomes.
Expenditure: Any resource of time, money or personnel expended to provide
students with instruction, facilities and services.
Hawaiian Culture-based Education: The grounding of instruction and
student learning in the values, norms, knowledge, beliefs, practices, experiences, and
language that are the foundation of an indigenous culture (Ledward, Takayama, &
Kahumoku, 2008).
Hawaiian-Focused Charter School (HFCS): Schools that utilize Hawaii’s
native language, culture and traditions to provide relevance and create relations in an
effort to achieve academic rigor.
Hawaiian Student: Students who self-identify themselves as being of
Hawaiian ancestry.
No Child Left Behind:
The 2001 reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA) that places comprehensive accountability requirements on all
states, with increasing sanctions for schools and districts that do not make
17
adequate yearly progress toward proficiency in English/language arts and
mathematics or that fail to test 95% of all students and all significant
subgroups. (Ed-Data, 2008)

Professional Learning Community: (Group of) school staff members
improving instruction by working collaboratively around a common vision for
student achievement and using data to inform shared decision making regarding both
student and professional learning necessities. (DuFour, Eaker, & DuFour, 2005)
Organization of the Dissertation
This study is organized into three chapters. The first chapter provides an
introduction and background of the problem. It presents an historical look at
education in Hawaii, the charter school movement, nationally and locally, and
summarizes the efforts of Hawaiian-focused charter schools.
Chapter 2 provides a literature review of the problem. The chapter will
examine charter schools as well as the uniqueness of Hawaiian-focused charter
schools. It will also investigate the ten strategies for doubling student performance
(Odden, 2009).
Chapter 3 presents the methodology proposed for the study, including the
research design; population and sampling procedure; and the instruments and their
selection or development, together with the process proposed for establishing
validity and reliability. Each of these sections concludes with a rationale, including
strengths and limitations of the design elements. The chapter goes on to describe the
procedures for data collection and the plan for data analysis.
18
Chapter 4 presents the results of the study.
Chapter 5 discusses and analyzes the results, which culminates in conclusions
and recommendations.
19
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter will provide pertinent research about charter schools, Hawaiian-
focused charter schools (HFCS) and the strategies identified in schools that
significantly improved student achievement. To provide context to the study of
resource allocation in HFCS, this chapter begins with a brief explanation of what
charter schools are and how they differ from regular public schools. It will be
followed by a review of HFCS, with attention given to Hawaiian culture-based
education, a pedagogical strategy that HFCS employ.
The chapter continues to include ten sections that explore the various themes
provided in the literature around the general resources required to implement
research-based school improvement strategies. The research is organized within the
framework of the evidence-based model in order to discuss and compare how
resources are allocated in the schools, and how that compares to the allocation and
use of resources in regular DOE schools. The Evidence-based model (Odden &
Picus, 2008) draws connections between resource allocations to improvements in
student achievement through identified best practices. The approach is to identify
individual, school-based programs and educational strategies that research has show
to improve student learning (Odden & Archibald, 2009).
Charter Schools
The first charter school in the United States was opened in 1991 in
Minnesota. Since then, 39 other states have adopted charter school laws, including
20
Hawaii (U.S. Charter Schools). Charter schools are legally and fiscally autonomous
educational entities that operate within a public school system. In most cases, states
grant charters to organizations that are in turn responsible for the curriculum,
performance measures, management, and financial plans. As a result of increased
parent, student and teacher demand as well as the increased opportunity for
innovation in school management and pedagogy, charter schools provide a viable
alternative to traditional public schools (Vergari, 1999).
Charter schools are legally and fiscally autonomous entities that enjoy the
freedom to make their own decisions regarding matters of personnel, curricula, and
contracting for services. This autonomy allows charter school managers to employ
new educational delivery methods that may prove to be more effective and
successful than those used by traditional public schools. Supporters of charter
schools argue that the current system of public education is full of obstacles that
stifle diversity and flexibility in the delivery of education (Vergari, 1999). To sum
up, charter schools are granted an increased autonomy in exchanged for being
accountable for academic results and fiscal responsibility to their governing body
(usually a local school board), the parents and students who choose to go the their
school, as wells as the entire public who funds them (U.S. Charter Schools).
Hawaiian-Focused Charter Schools
Hawaii currently has 31 public charter schools that offer educational
programs reflective of the communities from which they were created (Hawaii
Charter School Directory: Hawaii Charter School Administrative Office). Of these
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31 schools, 17 are considered to be Hawaiian-Focused public charter schools
(HFCS). Like other charter schools, HFCS provide an opportunity for innovation
and autonomy within the public school system (Kanaiaupuni, Malone, & Ishibashi,
2005).
A HFCS can be described as families and/or communities who seek positive
choices in public education and are committed to improving the experiences of
Native Hawaiians within the public school system (Kamehameha School Research
and Evaluation, 2008). These schools are also committed to Hawaiian educational
programming while being firmly rooted in culture-based educational strategies.
While these schools are not limited to those of Hawaiian ancestry, there is a high
proportion of students with Hawaiian ancestry attending these schools.
Approximately 88% of the HFCS population is of Hawaiian ancestry. Further,
HFCS serve a high proportion of socioeconomically and educationally disadvantaged
students. This is congruent to a study conducted by the U.S. Department of
Education’s Policy and Program Studies Service (2004) that found a prevalence of
racial/ethnic minorities and low-income students is significantly higher in charter
schools than in conventional public schools.
HFCS were created to address the academic achievement gaps, such as the
ones noted above. The literature suggests that there are unique benefits of charter
schools for students of Hawaiian ancestry. Charter schools are afforded the
opportunity to determine the form and content of the learning. This provides a sense
of ownership and is thus an important way to engage the community and take
22
advantage of it strengths. Secondly, the autonomous nature of charter schools
provides for the development of innovative approaches that might foster higher
academic achievement and greater engagement among students. In a study of a
predominantly Native American charter school, it is argued that autonomy, or
control, is not necessarily enough for success. Rather, the value of charter schools
for indigenous populations is dependent upon their potential for innovation. Lastly,
charter schools offer an ideal vehicle for the development and growth of culturally
based educational models (Kanaiaupuni, Malone, & Ishibashi, 2005).
With the autonomy that is granted to charter schools, HFCS elect to employ a
pedagogy that is deeply rooted in Hawaiian cultural values, beliefs, culture and
history. In addition to these components being curricular themes, they are more
importantly the method in which a HFCS curriculum is delivered. These schools
“utilize Hawaii’s native language, culture and traditions to provide relevance and
create relations in an effort to achieve academic rigor” (Na Lei Naauao - Native
Hawaiian Charter School Alliance).
Culture, in its simplest form encompasses “shared ways of being, knowing
and doing” (Kanaiaupuni and Kawaiaea, 2008, p. 71) among a group of people.
Since Hawaii is a “melting pot” of ethnic groups, there exist many different types of
cultures. Specific to the discussion, culture is the shared belief systems of the
Hawaiian people. Culture-based education, in the Hawaii context, then refers to the
grounding of instruction and learning in the “values, norms, knowledge, beliefs,
practices, experiences, places, and languages of the Hawaiian people. Synonymous
23
with culture-based education in this discussion is Hawaiian education, which itself is
deeply rooted in a sense of indigenous being” (Kaiwi, 2006, p. 29). The absence of
these characteristics in classroom curricula results in the dismal statistics of
Hawaiians today (Kanaiaupuni et al., 2006; Tibbiets, 2002). However, attention is
being given to culture-based educational strategies as a “means to address the
educational disparities between indigenous students and their peers” (Ledward &
Takayama, 2008, p. 1). According to Ledward, Takayama and Kahumoku (2008),
“Research suggest that culturally responsive educational strategies help students to
feel engaged and connected to what they are learning” (1). These practices can have
a positive impact on a student’s educational outcomes (Ledward et al., 2008).
The dynamics of Hawaiian children learning in a Western, Americanized
school setting have always been somewhat problematic. For example, the disparity
is especially apparent when Hawaiian children, in a Geography or Science
classroom, learn about the four seasons, which depict autumn leaves and winter
snow. Most Hawaiian children are unable to relate to this type of lesson, so many of
them consequently become disinterested in the learning process. This tension
highlights the fact that traditional Native Hawaiian culture does not necessarily
connect with the mainstream U.S. culture.
Omizo, Omizo, and Kitaoka (1998) maintain that the problems that face
Hawaiians do not spontaneously manifest themselves in adulthood; rather, they
develop during childhood. These problems include conflicting value systems,
feelings of inadequacy, using a different language, and the feeling of helplessness
24
within the dominant Western culture and system of education (Omizo, Omizo, &
Kitaoka, 1998).
In an effort to develop successful academic practices for Hawaiian students,
Benham (2006) argues that teaching should be done in a contextual setting which is
respectful of the home culture, including: 1) utilizing the knowledge of elders,
cultural experts and native speakers; 2) creating a child-centered and holistic
pedagogical model that is inclusive of home/family, school community, and broader
communities; 3) developing a curriculum which includes individualize instruction
within a collective community of learners, as well as linking both academic and
cultural learning through rigorous and relevant academic and experiential processes;
and 4) building cultural identity and cultural capital by employing both culturally
specific and pluralistic teaching approaches that build cultural competence and
respect.
Along similar lines, Kanaiaupuni (2007) explains that culture-based
education for Native Hawaiians is comprised of five basic elements: 1) Language –
recognizing and using native language; 2) Family and community – actively
engaging and partnering the family and community in the development of learning
and leadership culture; 3) Context – structuring the school and learning environment
in culturally appropriate ways; 4) Content – developing culturally grounded content
and assessment which provides meaningful, rigorous, and relevant pedagogy; and 5)
Data and accountability – collecting, sharing, maintaining and analyzing data toward
insuring student progress is culturally responsible ways.
25
To better define a HFCS, Na Lei Naauao , a consortium of Hawaiian
educators, visionaries and community leaders, developed the following criteria as
definitions for HFCS. A HFCS is 1) initiated, supported and controlled by a
Hawaiian community; 2) offers Hawaiian culture-based curriculum, instruction an
assessment; 3) committed to perpetuating Hawaiian culture, language, values and
traditions; and 4) actively contribute to the growth of Hawaiian-focused education
through participation in ongoing research and dissemination of best practices (Na Lei
Naauao - Native Hawaiian Charter School Alliance).
Ray Barnhardt (2005) notes that a paradigm shift is taking place that has
indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing establishing an integrity of its own. As
this shift takes place, “Indigenous peoples are not the only beneficiaries” (Barnhardt,
2005, p 7). Successful educational strategies, then, is a merger between indigenous
ways of knowing and doing and Western ways. The integration of both systems of
knowledge can be mutually productive by understanding how they interact with each
other in ways that will increase both the “depth and breadth of learning opportunities
for all students” (Barnhard, 2005, p. 9).
The results of a Hawaiian culture-based education have been promising thus
far. Takayama (2008) notes that while Western-focused charters may have the
highest levels of achievement, the data suggest that Hawaiian language and culture-
based schools “seem to be promising means of raising student achievement for both
Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian students (274). Wilson and Kamana (2006) provide
evidence of the “superiority” of Hawaiian-medium education over English-medium
26
by discussing the advantages of a Hawaiian-medium education such as “assuring
personal cultural connections, maintaining the identity of Hawaiians as a distinct
people, supporting academic achievement, supporting acquisition of standard
English, and supporting third-language study” (155). Additionally, the attendance
rates of Hawaiian students in HFCS have improved significantly. Hawaiian students
in these schools have an attendance rate four times better than Hawaiian students in
mainstream public schools (Kanaiaupuni et al., 2005). Through integration of
Hawaiian culture-based educational practices, there is promise to lessen the
achievement gap between Hawaiian students and their school-aged counterparts in
the HIDOE.
The Evidence-Based Model
The Evidence-Based model identifies a set of ten strategies of resource
allocation that research suggests is necessary improving school performance. The
strategies are: 1) Understanding the performance problem and challenge; 2) Setting
ambitious goals; 3) Changing the curriculum program and creating a new
instructional vision; 4) Committing to formative assessments and data-driven
decisions; 5) Investing in Ongoing, Embedded and intensive professional
development; 6) Focusing class time more efficiently and effectively; 7) Providing
multiple interventions for struggling students; 8) Creating a collaborative
professional culture; 9) Empowering leaders to support instructional improvement
through widespread distributive leadership; and 10) Taking advantage of external
expertise in professional and best practices (Odden, 2009). Inclusive of the
27
Evidence-Based model are expenditure elements of core academic teachers,
specialist or elective teachers, extra help, professional development, other non-
classroom instructional staff, instructional materials and equipment, student support,
administration, operations and maintenance (Odden & Picus, 2008). Other
components of the model include student ratios: 15 to 1 for K-3 and 25:1 for grades
4 through 12. Specialist teachers are given for the electives and are determined,
along with librarians, based on percentages – 20% for elementary and middle schools
with 33% for high schools. Additional resources are allotted for ELL and special
needs students. Also provided for in the model are vocational and gifted education
teachers along with trainers and coaches for professional development as well as
teacher support (Odden, Picus, Archibald, Goetz, Mangan, & Aportela, 2007). Each
year, ten days of professional development are provided as well as opportunities for
collaboration time by restructuring student-contact time through the relief of core
teachers by specialist teachers. States that have utilized the Evidence-Based model
include Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Arizona, Arkansas, North Dakota, and
Kentucky (Odden & Archibald, 2009). It was from this research that Odden and
Archibald (2009) came up with ten strategies for doubling student performance. For
educational leaders, these strategies offer up guidance on how best to utilize their
school resources in an effective manner that supports high-quality, comprehensive,
and school wide instructional improvement.
The Evidence-Based model ties together the allocation of resources that
promote student learning and the best practices used at different schools where
28
student performance doubled or seen significantly large gains. The work of Odden
(2009) and his associates sought to identify how schools allocated their resources to
improve student learning. It was through multiple studies that Odden and Archibald
(2009) found commonalities of resource allocation and best practices across schools
that significantly improved student performance. In addition to identifying best
practices, supported by research, an allocation of resource model was developed that
would help schools answer the question, “How much will it cost?” The model
clarifies the importance of schools using their data on student learning to identify the
learning needs of their particular student population. It is not a one size fits all
formula, rather a framework to customize student improving student performance at
individual schools through the effective use of resources.
While some may argue that failing schools require more money, it may not
be the end-all solution to solve the low student academic performance of a school.
The logic of more money can lead to increased student performance is faulty at best.
In fact, the increase of school operating budget is not one of the ten strategies that
“doubled student performance” (Odden, 2009). Instead, allocating a school’s current
resources in an effective and efficient manner that is clearly focused on best practices
and are directly connected to improved student learning may prove to be more a
solution than the increasing of school budgets. Should educational leaders determine
the need for additional resources, the model provides for them the specific are of
need. In any case, prior to asking for additional funds, it is important that school
29
administrators clearly understand their current allocations and ensure their effective
use.
1. Understanding the Performance Problem and Challenge
The educational landscape in America will continually to change
substantially over time. As the system changes so should that manner in which
people do business within the system. The decisions that educational leaders from
all levels make ought to reflect the current needs and make up of student populace.
The challenge in all of this is that many individuals are resistant to changing the way
business is done in favor of keeping the conventional way of doing things. This
mindset has prevented individuals from seeing beyond what is current (Hansen,
Gentry, & Dalley, 2003).
Odden (2009) discusses that there needs to be, at the very least, a perceived
need for any change to occur – especially when considering the challenge of
increasing student performance. Educational leaders, along with their teams, must
fully understand and want to address the performance challenge. Without an
urgency to do so, status quo and same results are consequences of such complacency.
In order to create that sense of urgency necessary for change to occur, there
needs to be a common understanding that a performance challenge does exists as
well as knowing the full nature of the challenge by analyzing a wide range of data.
For improvement to occur, schools must be able to identify and understand the
learning needs of all of its students at the school as well as the overall performance
of its students. (Odden, 2009). Areas of high performance, as well as low
30
performing areas, should be known and understood. In addition, understanding the
difference in school performance by student sub-groups will enable a holistic and
clearer picture of the performance problem.
Utilizing data to inform their decision-making, effective educational leaders
can focus on research-based instructional practice that will be most effective in
raising student achievement.
2. Set Ambitious Goals
The work of Hallinger and Heck (2002) emphasized that vision is the key
factor in transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is defined as the
manner by which a leader profoundly influences a constituency. Articulated values
that are embedded in a vision will enable leaders and schools to be more effective in
solving problems. School leaders, because of a ever changing educational landscape,
would need to have the skills of a transformational leader in order to embrace new
ways of thinking and looking ahead to identify new opportunities for schools. An
example of such is to set ambitious goals. Setting new goals for students would
mean discarding the older systems and practices that did not output the highest
student achievement scores and instead adapt new practices the will create a
transformational change.
According to Odden (2009), another element for significantly improving
student performance is the setting of high and ambitious goals. The goals should be
set beyond marginal improvement and should ignore the low expectations that are
often associated with lower socioeconomic statuses. In his study, Odden noted that
31
none of the schools he researched used a strategy of targeting assistances to only the
students that were nearest proficiency, often referred to as “bubble” students, to raise
their tests scores.
All schools in Odden’s studies that nearly doubled their performance set
ambitious goals of 90% proficiency, despite some of their current performance levels
being at 50%, 32%, or even 29%. In mathematic proficiency Rosalia District in
Washington increased from 43% to 85%. In reading proficiency Kennewick District
in Washington increased from 57% to 88%; Madison District in Wisconsin increased
from 50% to 75% with their low-income students, and Rosalia District in
Washington increased from 32% to 94%. Columbus Elementary within the
Appleton District in Wisconsin raised their reading proficiency from 51% to 90%
and their math proficiency from 55% to 75% (Odden & Archibald, 2009). The
National Education Goals Panel (1998) attribute their successes to their decision to
raise their standards of achievement as well as their investment in teachers’
knowledge and skill (Darling-Hammond, 2010).
Marzano (2003) found that schools that established learning objectives that
were clear and of high expectations for all students significantly improved their
performance on state assessments. The research recommends that the goals
established be very challenging for both students and teachers (Childress, Levin, &
Delancey, 2006). If the schools do not attain and meet their ambitious goals, they
typically make significant progress and are in a better position to move forward
(Odden, 2009).
32
3. Change the Curriculum Program and Create New Instructional Vision
Singapore’s poor math scores once served as the impetus for concerted
national efforts to improve student achievement in the area. Enjoying much of the
successes of the program, Singapore has scored first in the world of mathematic
proficiency on the past three Trends in International Mathematics and Science
Studies (TIMSS). Taking a few crucial actions ultimately paid off high dividends in
terms of significantly raising student achievement (Leinwand, 2007).
The Singapore math example exhibits what the results can be when
curriculum and curriculum approaches changes. Schools that significantly improve
their student achievement scores, in addition to understanding their performance
issue and setting ambitious goals, also took control of the factors that are
controllable, such as curriculum and instruction (Odden, 2009). Schools that Odden
and his associates studied all tossed out their old curriculum and either chose a new
curriculum or developed their own (Odden, 2009). The curriculum was based on
the individual school’s performance challenges, thus making the curriculum change
relevant to the performance challenge.
Once a new approach has been chosen, simultaneously teachers have to work
collaboratively to develop more effective ways to deliver the curriculum and expand
the effort more systemically to all classes and schools in a district (Odden, 2009).
Teachers worked together in Professional Learning Communities to develop new
ways of teaching the new curriculum. These new ways permeated throughout the
entire school system and it could be seen in teacher induction, professional
33
development activities, staff meetings, and some even made it to the district’s
evaluation systems (Odden, 2009).
As schools take on the challenges of preparing future generations to assume
their roles in society, it is important to consider the type of curriculum changes that
will be necessary. While attaining Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is an indicator
of success for schools today, it is by no means a measurement of college and career
readiness for the 21
st
century. To aide students meet the high demands of being
prepared for their futures, teachers must use a curriculum that engages and
challenges students to understand concepts deeply, search and use information,
collect evidences, evaluate ideas and develop skills of analysis (Darling-Hammond,
Alexander, & Price, 2002).
4. Commit to Formative Assessments and Data-Driven Decisions
Education initiatives in the past ten years have framed accountability for
student achievement around standardized tests. Indicators such as test scores are
information for the accountability system, not the system itself (Darling-Hammond,
2004). Accountability is the process of interpreting and acting on information in
educationally productive ways. Therefore, accountability systems do not ensure
good teaching, instead when leaders invest in creating a stable group of competent
teachers that develop a deep understanding of subject matter, student learning
approaches, diverse teaching strategies (Darling-Hammond, 2004), true
accountability is cultivated.
34
Schools that increased student achievement scores utilized many types of
assessments to collect data to guide their instructional practices (Odden, 2009;
Odden & Archibald, 2009). Although some educators may express that there already
is too much testing in America’s classrooms, having multiple layers of testing, as is
suggested in the literature, can provide information on student performance that will
help teachers hone in on and enhance instructional practice thereby increasing
student achievement (Odden, 2009). These assessments can include benchmark
assessments, which are given periodically or quarterly; as well as formative
assessments, which are more diagnostic and are given at periods within a nine-week
instructional period.
Formative assessments provide teachers with the information necessary to
create a micro map for how to teaching specific curricular units (Odden, 2009). It
also allows teachers to adjust instruction and interventions, as well as better
understand the specific skill gaps of each of their students (Skalski & Romero,
2011). Formative assessments are used to gather data on the way to an identified
benchmark or standard. It is used to inform teachers and educators about how
effective their approaches are as well as how well their students are grasping the
content. Formative assessments are about sharing information – with other teachers
and with students. This enables formative assessments to transform a student’s sense
of control over their learning and can fuel a teacher’s learning as well (Brookhart,
Moss, & Long, 2008).
35
Black and William (1998) identify three elements needed in formative
assessment, “recognition of the desired goal, evidence about present position, and
some understanding of a way to close the gap between the two” (p.6). “What is
needed is a classroom culture of questioning and deep thinking, in which pupils learn
from shared discussions with teachers and peers” (Black & William, 1998, p.9).
Students also need to believe that they can achieve and will be successful in the
classroom. Along with these beliefs students need detailed feedback that identifies
for them, how to improve their work through formative assessments. Once these
targets are defined, students need to use self –assessments and peer-assessments to
critically evaluate their work. Students can only assess themselves when they have
sufficient information that paints a clear picture of their learning goals and how to
reach them (Black & William, 1998).
Test data can be used in more formative ways to identify areas of need and
concern. Responding to the need, the action is proactive, positive and helpful.
Successful schools commit to using test data to make decisions, to inform instruction
and to meet the needs of all learners. Effective teachers have the ability to look at
and understand the data, then create strategies to maximize student learning.
The literature further suggests that schools ought to promote data-driven
conversations that would allow staff to regularly review, analyze and discuss data.
Establishing a culture of that has clear understanding about the value and purpose of
reviewing data, as well as being committed to reflective practice and inquiry will
equip teachers to be more effective. There are two popular models of professional
36
development that provide for a framework for theses kinds of conversations –
professional learning communities and collaborative learning cycle (Skalski &
Romero, 2011).
Professional learning communities (PLCs) will be discussed in more detail in
a later section, though it is important to note that PLCs utilize data to help drive their
discussions. The Collaborative learning cycle, developed by Wellman and Lipton
(2004), involves a three step framework that addresses problems in education as well
as how to respond to the data. To briefly summarize the Collaborative learning
cycle, the first step is where the group asks questions and makes predictions about
the data being presented. Second, the group is asked to look for trends, patterns, and
other interesting findings about the data. The final step asks the group to develop
theories about what they think caused the data, proposing solutions for the causes,
and then creating actions plans for those solutions (Skalski & Romero, 2011).
Educators have a responsibility to make decisions that are based on data and
research regarding best practices, all while keeping the students’ best interest in
mind. The use of formative assessment throughout the year enabled teachers to be
more specific and targeted in their instruction of curricula.
5. Invest in Ongoing, Embedded, Intensive Professional Development
Schools with steadily rising academic achievement are found to invest in
ongoing, embedded and intensive professional development. The need for
professional development can be linked to some, if not most, of the ten strategies
described in this literature. For instance, not all teachers and principals are skilled in
37
analyzing data. Also, the implementation of any new curriculum would require
professional development to assist teachers in acquiring the needed expertise to
deliver the new curriculum (Odden, 2009).
As noted by Darling-Hammond, Chung Wei and Andree (2009), professional
development should be intensive, ongoing, and connected to practice. Experimental
studies showed that professional development activities that ranged between 30 and
100 hours over the course of 12 months show positive and significant student
academic gain. In activities that fell in the range between 5 and 14 hours, the data
showed no statistically significant effect on student learning. It is also noted that
when teachers are surveyed, they view professional development activities as most
effective when they are sustained over time (Darling-Hammond, Chung Wei,
Andree, Richardson, & Orphanos, 2009). Unfortunately, a very common practice in
the United States is the use of one day, one-shot workshops for professional
development of teachers.
Loucks-Horsley and Matsumoto (1999) add that:
The quality or nature of professional development consists of four clusters of
variables: content (what is to be learned); process (how content is to be
learned); strategies and structures (how content is organized for learning);
and context (conditions under which content is learned). (p. 259)

Porter et al. (2005) supports these findings:
Without elaboration, effective professional development (1) engages
participants in active learning, giving them the opportunity to construct their
own knowledge; (2) is designed for groups of participants (e.g., a team of
teachers or all teachers in a given grade from a school); (3) is coherent (i.e.,
tailored to the teachers’ level of experience and aligned with the content
standards, assessments, and other policy instruments of the system within
38
which teachers teach); (4) focuses on the content of instruction, and
especially knowledge of how students learn the content; and (5) is sustained
over time (in contrast to one-shot workshops). (p. 149)

For professional development to be effective, it needs to focus on student
learning and address the teaching of specific curriculum content. The research
suggests that professional development is most effective when it address the concrete
and everyday challenges that are involved in the field of teaching. Further, it should
be specific to subject matter, rather than abstract (Darling-Hammond et al., 2009).
An effective leader understands the importance of engaging professionals in
meaningful tasks and providing the conditions where a collaborative culture is
nurtured. Teachers have the most power when it comes to creating change because
they have a strong influence in the classroom and credibility with their colleagues
(Urbanski & Nikolau, 1997). In order for professional development strategies to
take place in schools, school leadership and the school culture itself must value it.
Professional development cannot be focused only on student learning outcomes
without proving the time necessary for teachers to change their classroom practice.
School culture, and perhaps even district culture can support these kinds of changes
in the classroom.
Wei et al. (2009) note in their research that for effective instruction to take
place, administrators need to provide: 1) Time for professional learning and
collaboration built into teachers’ work hours; 2) Ongoing professional development
activities that are embedded in teachers’ contexts and focused on the content to be
taught; 3) Extensive opportunities for both formal and informal in-service
39
development; 4) Supportive induction programs for new teachers; 5) School
governance structures that involve teachers in decisions about curriculum,
instruction, and professional development.
As a nation, the U.S. falls short when it comes to investing in teachers as
professional. For example, one key structural support that allows teachers to engage
in professional development is the allotment of time in the workday and week to
participate in these activities. In high-performing nations such as Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, more than
85% of their schools provide time during the school day and/or week for professional
development for their teachers. In the U.S., this is, unfortunately, absent (Wei,
Andree, & Darling-Hammond, 2009).
It’s disheartening to note that although U.S. schools are gradually beginning
to offer more professional development activities, a vast majority of them are note
very well designed (Blank, de las Alas, & Smith, 2007). For instance, although more
than half the U.S. teachers participate in professional development activities each
year, majority of the activities focuses on subject matter, but not with much depth.
Further, approximately half of the participants are dissatisfied with opportunities for
professional development. In addition to these shortcomings, teachers in the U.S.
usually received little to no support that might allow them to participate in
professional development. For new teachers, although they may experience
induction programs, very few will have access to mentoring and other high-quality
induction features (Darling-Hammond et al., 2009).
40
In other countries, professional development appears to be more of the norm
than an extracurricular activity for teachers. The education structure in countries like
Japan, Sweden and Singapore, is such that teachers are afforded the ample time for
professional development that is built into their work time. Instruction, in these
countries, account for less than half of a teacher’s working time with the remainder
allotted for tasks related to teaching such as prepping, meetings with students and
parents, and working with colleagues. In some countries, time is dedicated to
collaboration amongst teachers for the specific purpose of instruction (Darling-
Hammond, Chung et al., 2009).
The value of teachers in these countries is also demonstrated by the fact that
there is a concerted effort to build a strong professional relationship between new
and veteran teachers. Mentor teachers and coaches play an integral part in bringing
in new teachers to the profession. New teachers in China, along with experienced
teachers, participate in extensive peer observations and lesson preparations. New
teachers in New Zealand are given 20 percent release time for first year teachers and
10 percent for second year teachers and requires that schools have a locally
developed program to develop new teacher’s abilities. The release time allows for
veteran teachers to coach and give new teachers time to meet with the mentors who
observe them in order to engage in professional development (Darling-Hammond et
al., 2009).
Many of the high achieving nations dedicate significant amounts of resources
to professional development beyond the structure of the workday. In the
41
Netherlands, Singapore, and Sweden, teachers are required to obtain at least 100
hours of professional development per year that is beyond the regularly scheduled
time. In Sweden, teachers are allocated an additional 104 hours or 15 days a year for
teacher training. The Singapore government pays for 100 hours of professional
development each year for all teachers, which is in addition to the 20 hours a week
they already have to work with teachers and visits each other’s classrooms. These
experiences highlight the significance of on-the-job learning with colleagues as well
as sustained learning from the experts in content areas and pedagogy (Darling-
Hammond et al., 2009).
While there is many layers to the professional develop strategy to increase
student achievement, it is clear that resource allocation – whether monetary, time, or
human resources – can provide the support for such changes to the school and the
schools system.
6. Focus Class Time More Efficiently and Effectively
The sixth strategy for improving student performance has to do with utilizing
class time more efficiently and effectively. Year after year, policymakers will bring
about the issue of increasing both the school day and year. This idea is premised on
the fact that other countries like Japan, Korea, and Singapore have longer school
days and a longer school year (Odden, 2009). The perception is that these countries
are very successful academically and their students continuously are high performing
due to their extended school day and year. However, the reality is the countries
mentioned used lees hours of their time on the instruction of the core academic
42
subjects (reading, math, science, writing, etc.). In the U.S., even with a shorter
school year, the average hours of instruction in those subjects are usually higher than
in other countries (Odden, 2009). Although policy makers continue to perceive that
a longer school day and school year leads to higher student academic achievement,
there is no empirical evidence that suggests it. Rather, the success that other
countries are seeing in student achievement is attributed to the nature of their
curriculum, which is more rigorous and more focused than that of the U.S. (Odden,
2009).
Schools that had significant increase in student achievement in the studies by
Odden and associates id not extend their school year or school days, but instead used
the already existing time in a more effective and efficient manner (Odden, 2009).
One strategy employed was to protect instructional time for the core subjects, mainly
math and reading. The protection of this time meant that there is to be no
interruptions to the lesson. This included prohibiting intercom interruptions, visits to
the principal’s office and other various classroom interruptions. The idea was to
allow students to become fully engaged during the core subjects of the day without
distractions.
Another strategy that schools used was to extend time for some subjects,
primarily the core subjects, during the already existing school day. For example,
schools needing to improve reading scores may increase daily reading instruction.
As other content areas, like science, begin to get tested it can be assumed that the
same allocation of time, within an existing school day, be extended to allow more
43
time for the particular subject area. The implementation of this strategy is dependent
upon a teacher’s ability to utilize various instructional methods to deliver the content.
Doing more of the same thing for an extended period of time may not result in
improved student achievement.
A third strategy employed is referred to as ALT or “academic learning time.”
ALT is the time that directly correlates to the instructional times during which
students are engaged in their learning (Odden, 2009). Although a reading class is set
for 90 minutes, the coming and going of students between that class, the switching of
small groups within the class and class announcements or organizational issues all
take learning time away from the full 90 minutes. Thus, ALT refers to the actual
instructional time during the class.
On strategy that can optimize the use of ALT is the cross-aged grouping of
students with the same academic levels. By breaking up students based on
achievement level and placing them in the same class, it allows the teacher to utilize
the bulk of the time for whole-group instruction versus having to divide the class into
small groups and give each group a fraction of his/her time all the while a group or
groups are without a teacher, decreasing the engagement time.
As suggested above, it is a matter of quality more than quantity. Increasing
the school day or the school year may not lead to significant student achievement as
much as a more effective use of the time that already exists.
44
7. Provide Multiple Interventions for Struggling Students
Odden’s (2009) seventh step to significantly improve student performance
also involves time; however in this instance, the resource is dedicated to providing
additional instructional opportunities to struggling students. Using many of the same
resources allocated and described previously in the section detailing the Evidence-
Based Model, the successful schools examined by Odden (2009) implemented a
range of tutoring offerings, instituted extended-day programs that incorporated
academic, recreational and cultural components Fashola (1998), and provided time
outside the school year through a summer school program.
Identified in Odden’s (2009) research is a four-tiered approach to
intervention. The first is the need to provided high-quality instruction to all students.
Prior to any other intervention like pullouts, tutoring, or extended class time, all
students are first taught in the regular classroom where they are offered high-quality
instruction. Should a teacher notice a student who is slightly behind, he/she may
offer extra help within the class allotted time. This can take the form of small groups
that can occur a couple of times during the week.
The second tier of intervention involves a more intense approach to the
delivering of the content. Although similar to the first tier, the second tier includes a
combination of individual and small group tutoring by a licensed teacher. On
occasion, an instructional aide may do the tutoring, however this is rarely the case
especially for students who have the most complex learning challenges. In some
cases, the second tier might involve another teacher working side-by-side with the
45
regular teacher in the classroom which would allow for a series of continuous extra
help for students that need the assistance (Odden, 2009).
The next tier of intervention calls for additional instructional time that is
provided through a combination of extending the school day (either before, after, or
Saturday school) and/or summer school for students who need the extra help to get to
proficiency. The added instructional time only occurs after the first two tiers are
exhausted and the student still needs assistance. The fourth tier of intervention, if
needed, provides students with identified disabilities with a program that is geared to
their specific disability (Odden, 2009).
Another effective strategy for struggling students is to provide them tutoring
by a highly trained tutor. Tutoring is one of the most intensive extra-help strategies
that can be offered to a struggling student. The key to this type of intervention is that
it occurs as soon as the need is recognized rather than waiting to provide remedial
instruction. It is also important to note that tutoring must be tied to the specific
learning problem and should be a short-term remedy to a specific learning problem
(Odden, 2009).
In Finland, recognized for having the highest-performing students, schools
are staffed with one specifically trained tutor for every seven teachers (Gordon,
2009). Similarly in the U.S., schools with steady rising achievement are using a
similar strategy where each tutor provides tutoring to one student for 20 minutes
each day. Four full-time teacher could provide tutoring to individual student for 20-
minute periods each resulting in 72 students receiving effective tutoring daily.
46
Effective tutoring is not generalized rather it is guided by formative assessments
taken by the regular classroom teachers. Tutoring is specific to the learning need and
tutors use different lessons and/or approaches to re-teach concepts and facilitate
understanding. Once the skill is mastered, the student no longer receives tutoring
(Odden, 2009).
A key element found in successful schools is the degree of personalized
instruction. Darling-Hammond (2010) notes that organizational supports that
promote student learning include “small learning communities; continuous, long-
term relationships between adults and students; advisory systems that systematically
organize counseling, academic supports and family connections; small class sizes
and reduced pupil loads for teachers that allow them to care effectively for students”
(246). Darling-Hammond (2010) further contends that schools need to be structured
in a way that allows for professionals to create and implement curriculum that is
focused, reinforced by a shared vision, and evidenced by authentic assessments. The
increased use of 21
st
century technology helps the personalization of instruction. The
use of technology and an array of new software that allows customization to each
student allows teachers to be professional learning coaches and content architects
(Christensen, 2008).
8. Create a Collaborative, Professional Culture (Professional Learning
Communities)
Another strategy that Odden (2009) speaks about is the idea of professional
school culture. Odden and Archibald (2009) argued that unlike the previously
47
discussed strategies, this was not one that was created by schools and/or districts
before engaging in the strategies to improve student achievement. Instead, since
teachers and administrators alike worked in a collaborative fashion from the
beginning, this culture which demonstrates a shared high expectations for students;
de-privatized instruction; peer classroom observation; and teachers owing up to their
action, became a product of the ongoing collaborative work.
In schools where student achievement had significant gains, instructional
practices were not something that was individualistic and private to the teacher. As a
district and a school, work was done collaboratively to create a common and
professional approach to good instructional practice, peer classroom observation, and
utilized formative assessments to determine, as a collective, how to design
instructional units that are tailored to what is explained in the data (Odden &
Archibald, 2009). These efforts resulted in instruction being public and part of the
professional conversation as well as the focus of ongoing professional development.
Adding to Odden’s (2009) discussion of a professional learning culture,
researchers are increasing the body of knowledge surrounding professional learning
communities (PLCs) (DuFour, Eaker, & DuFour, 2005; DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, &
Many, 2006). PLCs have recently gained a lot of popularity across the nation in
various educational settings. So much so, that the term has become a commonplace
and used ambiguously to describe a loose gathering of individuals who share a
common interest in education (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2006). This can be
problematic and stifle the true intentions of PLCs, which ultimately affects student
48
achievement. In order for PLCs to be effective and create change in student
achievement, DuFour (2004) challenges educational leaders to critically reflect on
the merits of PLCs. He suggests three big ideas that represent the core principles of
PLCs.
The first idea is that there needs to be a cognitive shift in the school from a
focus on teaching to a focus on learning (DuFour R., 2004). When teachers begin to
focus on student learning, regardless of their abilities, profound changes begin to
take place. DuFour et al. (2006) affirms that, “The very essence of a learning
community is a focus on and a commitment to the learning of each student” (3).
PLCs enable schools and their teachers to become aware of the incongruities
between their commitment to their students learning and a lack of a coordinated
strategy to respond to student who do not learn, or learn at a slower pace than others.
Within a PLC, this problem is discussed and strategies are designed to provide
struggling students with the additional support they need, regardless of the classroom
they belong too. Members of a PLC work together to identify what the learning
goals for the students are, monitor each student’s progress towards the goal in a
timely manner, provide systematic interventions to students who are having
difficulty and extend learning when students have mastered the identified goals
(DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2006).
The next idea is that PLCs must cultivate a culture of collaboration. PLCs
are comprised of collaborative teams whose members work interdependently to
achieve identified common goals that are linked to the purpose of learning for all
49
students (DuFour et al., 2006). Collaboration, as it is referred to in PLCs,
characterizes a “systematic process in which teachers work together to analyze and
improve their classroom practice” (DuFour R., 2004, p. 36). In teams, teachers work
together engaging in a cycle of questions that promote intense team learning that will
ultimately lead to higher levels of student achievement. The de-privatization of
teacher practice and the bringing together of classroom strategies, goals, instructional
methods, and materials in a collaborative environment that is explicitly structured
provides for improved classroom practice of all teachers which is linked to student
achievement (Danielson, 2007).
“International evidence suggests that educational reform’s progress depends
on teachers’ individual and collective capacity and its link with school-wide capacity
for promoting pupils’ learning” (Stoll, Bolam, McMahon, Wallace, & Thomas,
2006). Collaborative relationships amongst teachers need to be nurtured by
supportive administrators who establish structures collaborations to take place.
Educational organizations need “a group of professional colleagues or friends who
meet periodically to share experiences and support one another through triumphs and
tragedies” (Bolman & Deal, 2002).
PLCs judge their effectiveness on the basis of results, which is the third big
idea discussed by DuFour (2004) as a core principle of PLCs. Good PLCs welcome
data and then turns the data into useful and relevant information for educators
(DuFour R., 2004). As discussed previously, formative assessments enable teachers
to identify the gaps in his/her students’ learning. The function of formative
50
assessments in PLCs allows teachers to call upon their colleagues to help them
reflect on areas of their concern. Relying on results allows each team to develop and
pursue measureable improvement goals that are aligned to the larger goals for
learning.
Additional scholarship further articulates the countless benefits of PLCs
(Wang & Paine, 2003; Hargreaves & Dawes, 1990), particularly the outcomes of
well-structured collaborations.
Wang and Paine (2003) suggest that a mandated curriculum does not
necessarily take away the autonomy of a teacher as long as it is implemented
correctly. They explain that in order to maintain teacher autonomy, the
organizational structure of the school must be one that supports teachers having the
ability to make teaching decisions through their collaborations with each other,
which include interpreting curriculum, instructional strategies and practice. This
dialogue between teachers contributes to increased understanding of curriculum, best
teaching strategies, as well as content area understanding and promotes teacher
efficacy, even in the case of mandated curriculum (Wang & Paine, 2002).
Hargreaves and Dawes (1990) also suggest that a collaborative culture creates
openness, trust, and support among teachers in which their autonomy is defined and
developed to their own purpose and curriculum.
One of the biggest challenges in K-12 education is not only educating
students, but also educating teachers to become better educators with the ability to
teach diverse learners effectively. Mezirow (1991) describes that transformative
51
learning is being able to name our reality in order to see the possibility for change.
He also adds that meaning is an interpretation. Individuals from different disciplines
may interpret the same event through their own theoretical lens that is influenced by
their social conditions and personal experiences along with their unique personal
interpretations of these experiences. People experiencing the same events may
interpret the event differently based on their personal interpretations of the event
(Mezirow, 1991).
Considering Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning, adult learners need
to learn strategies that are specific for adult learners. Mezirow (2003) asserts that,
“although adults may developmentally acquire the capabilities to become critically
self-reflective and exercise reflective judgment, the task of adult education is to help
the learner realize these capabilities by developing the skill, insights, and disposition
essential for their practice” (62). A key to transformative learning is being able to
critically reflect on initial expectations of an experience and compare these
expectations with the reality of the end result. This type of critical reflection enables
individuals to transform their learning and gain new perspectives (Mezirow, 2003).
Assumed in Mezirow’s (1991) theory of transformative learning is that each
individual has the capacity to critically analyze his or her own thoughts and actions.
However, theorist such as Brookfield (2005), Taylor (1997), and Kegan (1994)
suggest that while this may be the case for most adults, some may need a facilitator
to help achieve transformative learning effectively. In Odden’s (2009) evidence-
52
based model, the facilitators referred to would be the instructional coaches that are
provided for teachers.
Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) explain that in order to promote
transformative learning, it is critical that school leadership create an environment in
which transformative learning can occur. Structures must be in place to support
transformative learning. The authors propose that schools create support systems
that include similar ideas that Mezirow (1991) identified such as discourse, but also
structural elements provided by the leadership within the schools, such as ample time
for teachers and administrators to meet, have discussions, collaborate and solve
problems together. Without this kind of support, teachers may not continue with
their critical analysis of their teaching due to time constraints and other demands of
the job.
Essential to creating change of practice within a school is ongoing, embedded
collaboration as identified by DuFour et al (2005). Professional Learning
Communities as framed by Dufour et al, (2005) are more than group work, but are
more democratic and relationally bound communities with distributed leadership and
shared decision-making. They focus on developing a strong sense of community
through a shared vision and purpose along with a collective responsibility for student
learning (DuFour, Eaker, & DuFour, 2005). Through the successful development and
implementations of PLCs in schools, according to DuFour and Eaker (1998), they
can transform factory-model schools into schools that embrace new perspectives,
norms, and assumptions that are radically different than schools in the past.
53
An effective leader understands the importance of engaging professionals in
meaningful tasks and providing the conditions where a collaborative culture is
nurtured. Teachers have the most power when it comes to creating change because
they have a strong influence in the classroom and credibility with their colleagues
(Urbanski & Nikolau, 1997). Building teacher leadership capacity is essential in the
process of school reform and building a learner centered culture. Seeking collective
leadership by promoting teachers as leaders helps to provide the capacity for school
reform. Establishing PLCs helps to build a shared knowledge base assisting teachers
in addressing issues such as how to teach all students effectively, how learning
occurs, and how children develop (Urbanski & Nickolau, 1997).
9. Empower Leaders to Support Instructional Improvement Through
Widespread Distributive Instructional Leadership
One essential element of school improvement is effective leadership.
Multiple researchers (Ouchi, 2003; Marzano, Waters, & McNulty, 2005; Odden,
Goetz & Picus, 2010) found that one commonality in schools that have high
academic achievement, rising improvement, and even complete school turnaround
was good and effective leadership.
Odden (2009) noted that “leadership from all levels in the system helped
produce the ambitious, student performance results” (80). For example, although
schools can produce improvements on their own, it is facilitated if there is support
from the central office. Support from the central office can take the form of school
visits, involvement in ensuring state-level testing data are made available in useable
54
formats to teachers and school administrators and in providing necessary resources
for schools to implement their strategies.
In schools, it is very unlikely that school principals can provide all the
instructional leadership necessary to change the entire curriculum, create and
implement a professional development strategy, coach and mentor teachers, and
work with teachers on analyzing formative assessments (Odden, 2009). To assist
with these important strategies for improving student outcomes, teachers can be
promoted into roles like an instructional coach or curriculum head or facilitator. By
doing this, the principal is able to expand his/her instructional leadership team to
increase and deepen instructional strategies at the school.
Hansen et al (2003) defines teacher leadership as “the capacity and
commitment teacher has to contribute beyond his or her own classroom” (40). In
schools that significantly increased student achievement, school leadership built an
environment of shared decision making. This meant that whether it was a decision
on curriculum, scheduling, or class listing, a team of teachers were always involved.
It was believed that asking for teacher expertise whenever decisions were made was
a natural and important thing to do. The culture established by this belief had an
impact in that it created an environment where collaboration and conversation are
encouraged and supported by administrators. Teachers were encouraged to take on
leadership roles, supported one another with practice and contributed to the design of
school reform (Odden & Archibald, 2009).
55
Ouchi (2003) explains that an essential part of an organization is its leader.
In schools, it is the manner in which the school is managed that makes for a good
school. Principals, as the school leader, have myriad of responsibilities that require
them to be mentally strong, good at making the right and best decision, and have the
ability to make quick decisions from a list of choices ranging from modifying
curriculum and schedules to the placement of staff in the right position. According
to Ouchi (2003), principals of this caliber are not born, rather they are selected,
trained, given autonomy to make critical decisions and are held accountable for
student performance as well as teacher satisfaction. He further adds that having
strong principals is essential to improving schools, along with the need to
decentralize the one-size fits all policy that is enforced through districts and states.
In an examination of over 220 schools in six cities in the U.S. and Canada,
Ouchi (2003) came up with seven elements that he believes are required for schools
to be successful. They are: 1) Every principal is an entrepreneur; 2) Every school
controls its own budget; 3) Everyone is accountable for student performance and for
budgets; 4) Everyone delegates authority to those below; 5) There is a burning focus
on student achievement; 6) Every school is a community of learners; and 7) Families
have real choices among a variety of unique schools.
Of the seven key elements described by Ouchi (2003) his first element, that
every principal is an entrepreneur, is essential. While every principal can be an
entrepreneur, not all principals are. In a highly centralized system, only a rare few
are strong enough to become entrepreneurs. Theses types of principals may be
56
categorized as “troublemakers” or “renegades” by central office, however they are
made of strong qualities of determination and are willing to take risk to do what is
best for their school and students, even if it goes against policy. Entrepreneurs see to
it that their customers get served not by the entrepreneur themselves, but by his/her
employs that he/she organizes in a way that makes the best and most efficient use of
their individual time and talent. Entrepreneurial like principals have the ability to
organize their staff and teachers in a way that supports student learning and more
importantly increasing student achievement.
Principals wanting to become more entrepreneurial like can follow Ouchi’s
(2003) four-step process. He explains that principals must first seek to understand
their student population and the communities from which the students come from.
Once the principal has a clear understanding of whom the school is serving, then
he/she can work on developing a staffing plan that best fits the needs of the school.
Without the principal having the authority to determine the staffing needs and
positions for his/her own school, the school may find itself strapped in a bind in its
attempts to give student what they need. However, if the principal is allowed to
custom fit his/her staff, the school will be able to better provide for the unique needs
and circumstances of the school. Like the second step in the process, the third and
fourth rely heavily on the principal’s authority and autonomy to arrange the school
schedule to fit the plan and to choose the teaching materials to fit the students.
Although there is not clear definition of the exact behavior of leaders that
promote student achievement Marzano, Waters and McNulty (2005) state that there
57
is “strong guidance on specific leadership behaviors for school administrators and
that those behaviors have well-documented effects on student achievement” (p. 7).
Great leaders have the ability to inspire and provide guidance and support to great
teachers as well as improve weak teachers to help them become great and if
necessary, counsel them out of the profession.
Ouchi’s (2003) description of the qualities principals need to be an
entrepreneur can be likened to Mezirow’s (1991) transformational leader.
Transformational leaders have the ability to adapt the various types of situations, but
also to the different needs of each stakeholder. Whether it is the needs of the entire
school, or community, or student, the leaders will need to provide strong support,
while at other times they may need to give specific directives.
Northouse (2010) describes transformational leadership as “an encompassing
approach that can be used to describe a wide range of leadership, from very specific
attempts to influence followers on a one-to-one level, to very broad attempts to
influence whole organizations and event entire cultures” (p. 130). One approach is
that transformational leadership is the process in which an individual engages with
others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in
both the leader and follower. Transformational leaders provide inspirational
motivation and communicate high expectations to followers, inspiring them through
motivation to become committed to and part of the shared vision in the organization
(Northouse, 2010; Marzano, Waters, & McNulty, 2005). Also according to
Northouse (2010) transformational leaders have idealized influence and act as a
58
strong role model for followers. They have high standards of moral and ethical
conduct and can be counted on to do the right thing. They inspire followers through
motivation to become committed to and part of their shared vision (Northouse, 2010;
Marzano, Waters, & McNulty, 2005).
10. Take Advantage of External Expertise in Professional and Best Practices
An element that is sometimes implicit but should be explicit is that
educational institutions are highly professional organizations. By that, they actively
seek research evidence about how best to improve their school, recognize the best
practices employed by other successful schools, and seek top experts on how to
provide the best core subject and professional development programs (Odden &
Archibald, 2009). Schools that have significantly improved student achievement
recognize that they do not have all the answers to their schools problems.
These schools actively engaged in reaching out to the education community
to find the most up to date and appropriate curriculum, instruction, professional
development, and change strategies for their school. Professional development
included reading of the current research on best practices, attending conferences,
listened to the experts and created a strategy that is specific to the needs of the school
and its students.
Schools that took advantage of external expertise also closely monitored the
initiative implemented at their school sites. Data was collected and analyzed by
properly trained staff members to effectively make changes or offer supports to
teachers and student as needed. However, after the structures of support such as
59
professional development and instructional coaches were provided and fidelity
checked in their implementation, schools were willing to drop programs that did not
show significant student achievement over an extended period of time (Odden,
2009).
Conclusion
This study will use Odden et al. (2008) allocation of resources framework to
examine how schools are using their resources in a strategic way to improve student
achievement. The Evidence Based Model offers a research-based point of
comparison when looking at individual school’s case study. The interest of the study
is in comparing the resource allocation framework that the Hawaiian-focused charter
schools use with those outlined above in the Evidence Based Model. This
comparison will provide not only a comparison of resources, but also a comparison
of recommended best practices in Hawaii, all of which have proven efficient in
improving student achievement that can be used to obtain desired educational
outcomes (Odden, 2003). The “best practices” used in the Evidence-Based Model
have been cited as key elements in numerous studies on education (Bensimon, 2005;
Darling-Hammond, 2002; Elmore, 2000; Odden, 2009; Reeves, 2003). The next
chapter explains the methodology of the study including the research questions and
the sample selection.

60
CHAPTER 3
METHODS
Introduction
This chapter details the individual research questions, prospective sample,
instruments used in the data collection, and the planned data analysis of the study.
This study has important implications for resource allocation decisions to improve
student learning. The focus on Hawaiian-focused charter schools on Oahu and
Hawaii Island enables the examination of how each school used the resources
available to impact student learning. These comparisons include not only how
schools have allocated their resources within their school, but also specific structures
and activities each school created and implemented to promote an increase in student
academic achievement. These descriptions may help to provide guidance to state,
district, and school leadership when formulating budgets and choosing quality
programs and structures to promote the creation and support of high quality teachers,
educational leaders, programs and supports that positively impact student
achievement. This is one of the first studies in Hawaii to use the evidence-based
model as a framework for analyzing the allocation of school resources and its
relationship to student achievement. Specifically, this is also one of the first studies
of Hawaiian-focused charter schools resource allocation and its impact on student
academic achievement.
Odden and Picus’ (2008) Evidence Based Model (EBM) on resource
allocation and Odden’s (2009) Ten Strategies for Doubling Student Performance was
61
used as conceptual frameworks for data collection and analysis. Both the EBM and
ten strategies provide legislators, researchers, and practitioners with specific
recommendations for how resources can be used at the site level to bring about
improvements in student outcomes (Odden & Archibald, 2009). As the study is
limited to the examination of Hawaiian-focused charter schools, an additional point
of emphasis is on the unique resource allocation challenges and opportunities such
organization presents. While it is an independent project, the study is based on the
methodologies of similar studies conducted in California and Wyoming that were
dedicated to exploring the link between resource allocation, instructional strategies,
and student achievement in schools through the examination of school level data
(Odden & Picus, 2008).
Research Questions
This study is framed by the following four research questions:
1. What are the current instructional vision and improvement strategies at
the school sites?
2. How are resource allocations patterns at Hawaiian Focused Charter
school sites aligned with, or differ from, the resource use
recommendations in the Evidence-Based Model?
3. How have allocation of resources supported the school’s instructional
strategies used to carry out the school’s instructional improvement plan?
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Identifying Schools: Purposeful Sample and Population
This study used a purposeful sample of three Hawaiian-focused charter
schools in Hawaii. Two of the schools are located on the island of Oahu and one is
located on Hawaii Island. Schools were chosen for their consistently rising trend in
student academic performance. Table 3.1 and 3.2 below provides a summary of the
percentage of reading and math proficiency at the selected schools. Pseudonyms are
used in place of school names to honor the promise of anonymity for each school.

Table 3.1
Percent of Students Proficient in Reading by School Year
School Year
Aloha
Academy
Kilakila
Academy
Naauao
Academy
2006/07 43% 44% 44%
2007/08 50% 55% 46%
2008/09 60% 56% 54%
2009/10 60% 61% 59%
2010/11 62% 68% 65%
Total growth between 2006/07 and 2010/11 19% 22% 21%
*State data source: Hawaii State Department of Education, System Evaluation & Reporting Section

63
Table 3.2
Percent of Students Proficient in Math by School Year
School Year
Aloha
Academy
Kilakila
Academy
Naauao
Academy
2006/07 20% 15% 14%
2007/08 30% 27% 9%
2008/09 27% 22% 6%
2009/10 33% 28% 16%
2010/11 38% 27% 23%
Total growth between 2006/07 and 2010/11 18% 12% 9%
*State data source: Hawaii State Department of Education, System Evaluation & Reporting Section

Instrument and Data Collection
The instruments used for this study was be based on the data collection tools
used to conduct the Picus, Odden, Aportola, Mangan, Goertz (2008) Wyoming state
adequacy study. These instruments include a data collection codebook, which
identifies data collection items and their definitions, a data collection protocol to
record quantitative information, and an open-ended interview protocol. These
protocols were be modified and used to capture the school resource indicators for the
three schools (see Table 3.3).

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Table 3.3
School Sample Resource Indicators
Percent Free and Reduced Price Lunch
Length of Instructional Day
Length of Class Periods
Length of Reading Instruction
Length of Mathematics Instruction
Core Academic Class Size
Class Size
Staffing Ratios
Number of Support Staff
** Adapted from Picus & Odden (2006)

In August 2011, the researcher was trained in the data collection
methodology. An Institutional Review Board (IRB) application through the
University of Southern California was submitted and approved in August 2011.
Initial contacts with each site level principals via email communication occurred
following IRB approval.
In addition, these protocols were utilized to capture the schools’ available
resources in instructional staff, professional development, support staff, and extra
help for students.

65
Table 3.4
School Resources
1. Core Academic Teachers
English Language Arts
Math
Social Studies
Science
2. Specialist and Elective Teachers/Planning and Preparation
Art, music, physical education
Academic Focus with or without special funding
3. Extra Help
Tutors
Resource Specialist Program (Special Education)
Inclusion Teachers
English as a Second Language Teacher
Special Education Classes for severely disabled students (including aides)
Extended Day and Summer School
4. Professional Development
Teacher Time- Substitutes
Trainers and Coaches
5. Other Non-Classroom Instructional Staff
Coordinators
Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSA)
Building Substitutes
Instructional Aides
6. Administration
Principal
Vice Principal
Office Staff
** Adapted from Picus and Odden (2006)

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The initial communication provided school leaders with an overview of the
study and selection criteria for the study. Once the researcher received confirmation
from the school leader, another communication was sent with a letter attachment.
The letter explained the purpose of the study, confidentiality guarantee with their
participation, what their participation entails, how the results will be used and
additional contact information. Shortly thereafter, the researcher contacted the
school leaders via telephone to answer any questions they may have had and to
schedule the interview. The interviews occurred between September 2011 and
January 2012.
School site data collection also occurred between December 2011 and
January 2012. One-week prior to each school visit, the researcher will send the
school leader a memo requesting specific documents and will provide the principal
with a copy of the open-ended interview questions (See Appendix A). The following
list details the documents being requested for review:
• School/Site Budget (resource allocation)
• Staff Roster/Assignments (number and duties of personnel)
• School/Site Plan (instructional programs, focus and plans)
• Bell Schedule (instructional minutes, professional
development/collaborative or individual planning time)
• School Mission Statement (instructional focus)
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Each site visit involved an in-depth interview with the school leader. Key
personnel may also be invited at each school leader’s discretion. The interviews will
yield both quantitative and qualitative data.
Quantitative Data Collection
Quantitative data gathering consisted of using the quantitative information
protocol. During the quantitative data-gathering portion of the interview, the staff list
was utilized to count staff FTEs and discuss their use. Quantitative data included:
• School profile data and contacts — identifying items such as physical
address, state identification number, website, and the contact information
of the person at the school site.
• School resource indicators — indicator such as school enrollment, grade
span, number of ELL students, length of school day, length of math class,
etc.
• Core academic teachers — number of licensed grade-level teachers who
teach core subjects.
• Specialist and elective teachers — number of specialist teachers such as
art, music, and physical education, who often provide regular classroom
teachers with planning and preparation time.
• Extra-help staff — FTEs consisting mainly of licensed teachers used in a
variety of strategies to assist struggling students or students with special
needs.
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• Other instructional staff — number of staff members that support a
school’s instructional program but do not fit in previous categories such
as consultants (excluding those related to professional development) and
permanent substitutes.
• Professional development staff and costs — FTEs and other expenditure
elements related to providing processional development for a school.
• Student services staff — school-based support staff such as counselors
along with positions and expenditures related to extra-curricular activities
and athletics.
The interview also probed school leaders for general budgetary information
regarding professional development. The researcher attempted to inquire about the
amount of substitutes/release days that were planned for, the amount of money that
was spent on trainers and/or consultants as well as other professional development
costs.
Qualitative Data Collection
Qualitative data was gathered using the open-ended interview protocol.
Schools leaders were asked question surrounding their professional development
plans for their teachers, a strategic plan for school improvement, the school’s
instructional vision, and implemented instructional improvement strategies.
Quantitative data focused on the following school improvement strategies:
• Focus on educating all students
• A rigorous curriculum that aligns to state standards
69
• Providing effective profession development
• Using data to drive instruction decisions
• Extra support for struggling students
• Instructional leadership
• Professional learning communities, and
• Restructuring the learning environment
Once data collection was completed, the interview was transcribed and the
data sorted into quantitative and qualitative information. The quantitative data was
then used to calculate a basic comparison number to the EBM for available resource
indicators.
As for the qualitative information, the interview notes was coded and
organized into the following categories:
• Focus on Educating all students
• Adopt a rigorous curriculum aligned to state standards
• Use data to drive decision making
• Support instruction improvement with effective professional development
• Restructure the learning environment
• Provide struggling students with extended learning opportunities
• Professional learning communities, and
• Instructional leadership
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For each school site, a case study was developed that discussed the school’s
background, history of improvement and data on the school’s academic performance
and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets, key elements and themes of the
improvement process, a comparison of the school’s actual resource use to that
provided in the EBM, the links between resource allocation/use, and lessons learned.
Data Analysis
The conceptual framework for the quantitative data analysis is the Picus and
Associates’ Evidence Based Model. School level resource allocation and use was
compared to the EBM recommendations. The resource allocation patterns for these
particular Hawaii schools was framed within the following question, “How do the
schools’ resource allocation and use compare to the Evidence Based Model?”
Quantitative data analysis involved the use of frequency statistics encompassing
percentages and averages for instructional minutes and FTE staffing ratios. All
analytic procedures will capture the current resource use in the schools. Staffing data
were calculated using percentages of full-time equivalents and teacher-pupil data
was analyzed using ratios.
The qualitative information will be analyzed using the findings of the
Evidence-based model (Odden et al., 2006). Qualitative data will include the
strategies within the instructional improvement plan, instructional vision, and
professional development plan. These data will be analyzed to determine if they
align with the research based instructional strategies: focus on educating all students;
adopt a rigorous curriculum and align to state standards; use data to drive instruction;
71
support instructional improvement with effective staff development; restructure the
learning environment; provide struggling students with extended learning
opportunities; instructional leadership; and professional learning communities. The
analyses of the quantitative data was limited to whether these “best practices”
components were in existence at the school site and not whether these components
impacted student achievement.
Summary of Methodology
A qualitative, descriptive-analytic case study research method was used to
conduct the study and analysis of three particular Hawaiian-focused charter schools
in Hawaii. The analysis data for the different instructional components and resource
use was obtained through interviews with the school principals, key staff, and school
document analysis of the master schedule, school staff list, master calendar, school
vision and mission statements, school improvement plan, and general budgetary
allocations for professional development. The study’s data collection instruments are
based on Picus and Associates’ data collection instruments, which have been used to
conduct adequacy studies in several U.S. states. Quantitative data and qualitative
data will be analyzed through a comparison with the Evidence Based Model.

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CHAPTER 4
FINDINGS
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to examine resource allocation practices at
three Hawaiian-focused charter schools (HFCS) that demonstrated rising academic
achievement. The framework for the analysis of resource allocation practices uses
Odden and Picus’ (2008) Evidence-Based Model (EBM) as a framework. This
chapter presents and summarizes the study findings through the examination of three
case studies of sample HFCS in Hawaii on two different islands. The detailed
findings from each school are presented in individual case studies that can be found
in appendixes B-D. The conceptual framework for this study relied on Odden (2009)
and Odden and Archibald (2009) who provide strategies for allocating educational
resources in ways that research suggests can double student performance, as well as
Odden and Picus’ (2008) Evidence-Based Model, which identifies research based
strategies for improving student performance.
The first section of this chapter presents a summary of school characteristics
and performance for each of the schools that participated in this study. The summary
provides both reading and writing assessment data that show growth in each area.
The second section of this chapter presents the findings as they relate to the
following three research questions:
1. What are the current instructional vision and improvement strategies at
the school?
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2. How are resource allocation patterns at Hawaiian-focused charter school
sites align with, or differ from, the resource use recommendations in the
Evidence-Based Model?
3. How have allocation of resources supported the school’s instructional
strategies used to carry out the school’s instructional vision and mission?
The final section provides a discussion of key elements and themes of the findings.
Summary of Schools’ Characteristics and Performance
The schools in this study were selected because they met two criteria. First is
their status as a Hawaiian-focused charter school. Hawaii currently has 31 charter
schools, both start-up and conversion. Of the 31, 17 are considered Hawaiian-
focused whereby the curriculum and instructional strategies are embedded in
Hawaiian culture, history and values. As a result, Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian
students make up the majority of students. These schools have also demonstrated
progress and gains in academic achievement, which is measured by the Hawaii State
Assessment. This section will explore school level demographic data that will
provide context to the student population each school is servicing. This section will
also take a look at the percentages of students performing at proficiency or better in
comparison to AYP targets and overall Hawaii students.
Sample School Characteristics and Demographics
All of the schools in this study are public charter schools that have a strong
emphasis on Hawaiian culture, language and values. Collectively, schools with such
an emphasis are designated as being a Hawaiian-focused charter school (HFCS).
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HFCS were created to address the academic disparities between students of
Hawaiian ancestry and their school-aged counterparts in the public school system.
As charter schools, these schools are afforded the opportunity to be autonomous
which can be a precursor to innovation in school settings. Specifically, HFCS seeks
to be innovative by providing and integrated curriculum that utilizes high levels of
Hawaiian culture-based education through culturally relevant content and context
without sacrificing the idea of “best practices” in teaching (Ledward & Takayama,
2008).
The overwhelming representation of students with Hawaiian ancestry can be
attributed to each of the schools’ commitment to a Hawaiian cultural foundation and
a pedagogy that is reflective of Hawaiian culture, values, language and history.
Other characteristics of HFCS are 1) they offer placed-based and project-based
learning designed to engage their students; 2) HFCS are products of the community
in which they reside; and 3) are viewed as catalyst for community change.
Generally, HFCS enroll a high proportion of students with Hawaiian ancestry
as well as high proportions of socioeconomically and educationally disadvantaged
students. One of the schools in this study, Naauao Academy reflects these statistics
whereby there are a high percentage of students with Hawaiian ancestry, as well as a
high proportion of students who are eligible for the federal free and reduced lunch
program and eligible to receive special education services. The other schools in the
study, Aloha Academy and Kilakila Academy, both have high proportions of
students of Hawaiian ancestry but vary in the percentages of students qualifying for
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free and reduced lunch and needing special education. Figure 4.1 below is a
graphical representation of the individual schools’ demographics. As displayed,
school enrollments also have a wide range with Aloha Academy enrolling 220
students and Naauao Academy enrolling only 66 students. Of the three schools that
participated in this study, two are K-12 grade campuses (Aloha Academy and
Kilakila Academy) while the third school, Naauao Academy, is a 6
th
– 12
th
grade
campus (Naauao Academy). These sample schools are relatively small in size
compared to the average school in Hawaii.

Figure 4.1. Demographics of sample schools, 2010
*Individual school data report

229
136
66
183
130
60
124
58
40
18
1
28
0
50
100
150
200
250
Aloha Academy Kilakila Academy Naauao Academy
Enrollment
Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian
Population
Free and Reduced Lunch
SPED
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Aloha Academy, located on Hawaii Island, enrolls students from K through
grade 12. Approximately 80% of its students are of Hawaiian ancestry and 54%
qualify for free or reduced lunch. In 2010, Aloha Academy was the first HFCS to
receive full accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC), valid for six years.
Kilakila Academy, situated in the Windward district of the island of Oahu
also enrolls students from JK through the 12
th
grade. Largely due to the Hawaiian
immersion-learning environment provided at Kilakila Academy 95% of its students
are of Hawaiian ancestry. Also, approximately 46% of its students qualify for free or
reduced lunch.
Naauao Academy, located in urban Honolulu, is open for students in the 6
th

through 12
th
grade. Similarly, there are a high percentage of Hawaiian students who
attend as well as a fairly high amount of students who qualify for free and reduced
lunch. Naauao Academy has moved to four different locations, within the Honolulu
area, over the past ten years and their enrollment has fluctuated, especially within the
most recent five years. An in depth discussion regarding enrollment can be found in
the case study (Appendix D).
As public charter schools, these schools receive their primary funding in a
somewhat different manner from traditional public schools in Hawaii. Act 51, The
Reinventing Education Act of 2004 that mandates that a student-weighted formula be
used to determine an amount, which is assumed equitable, for students based on their
needs, governs traditional public school funding in Hawaii. The weighted-student
77
formula first determines a dollar amount that will be provided to educate each
student. Then, additional monies will be provided to students with identified
characteristics that impact their learning and achievement. Since the amount varies
for each school, it is difficult to pinpoint an exact per-pupil amount. However, it has
been mentioned that public school student funding has increased from $9,876 in
2006 to an approximate $12,399 in 2010 (Creamer, 2010).
Charter schools, on the other hand, are provided a per-pupil allocation that is
equal for each charter school regardless of their demographics and varying
educational needs of their students. Over the years, the per-pupil allocation has
decreased from approximately $8,500 in 2008 to $5,560 in 2011 (Creamer, 2010).
The disparities are not isolated. A study conducted by the Thomas B.
Fordham Institute that reviewed charter schools in 16 different states found that on
average, charter schools were funded 22% below traditional public schools.
Additionally, among the 40 states that have some 4,900 charter schools, only a
handful of charter schools are receiving/have received funding comparable with
regular public school funding levels.
In an effort to lessen the impact of the disparate funding, Kamehameha
Schools, a private, charitable educational trust, provides supplemental funds to select
charter schools. Kamehameha Schools’ mission is to improve the well-being of the
native Hawaiian population through quality educational programs. Although
Kamehameha Schools has three K-12 campuses of its own, the impact is minimal
since only a limited number of students are afforded the opportunity to attend. As a
78
result, Kamehameha Schools also focuses its efforts in supporting other educational
organizations that have similar goals and values, like Hawaiian-focused charter
schools. Since 2003, Kamehameha Schools has been providing 17 of the 31 charter
schools in Hawaii, particularly Hawaiian-focused, with supplemental funding.
Currently, $1,500 per student is given to the selected charter schools. In addition to
the per-student funds, Kamehameha Schools also provides base line funding of
$150,000 for each of the campuses.
Assessment Data – Reading Proficiency
The three sample HFCS were selected for their pattern of rising academic
achievement from school year 2006-2007 through 2010-2011. Each school’s pattern
of rising achievement in reading on the Hawaii State Achievement test (HSA) is
shown below in Figure 4.2.
Although the sample schools have fallen short in some years of meeting the
AYP target, each of them have demonstrated significant growth in the area of
reading proficiency over the four school years. Kilakila Academy experienced the
biggest gains (24%) while Aloha Academy and Naauao Academy also experienced
significant gains of 19% and 18% respectively. In comparison to the State
improvement over the same four school years, the sample schools experienced a gain
of double more than that of all students tested in the state, which only increased by
7%.

79

Figure 4.2. Percent proficient or better on reading HSA of three sample schools
*State data source: Hawaii State Department of Education, System Evaluation & Reporting Section

By disaggregating the data into identified subgroups, a clearer picture can be
seen as to how schools better support, or don’t support, their subgroups overall
proficiency in reading. Due to small numbers of students in these schools, there
were only data available for the Asian/Pacific Islander subgroup for two of the three
sample schools. As shown in Figure 4.3 below, the Asian/Pacific Islander
population, with whom Hawaiian students are grouped, followed a rising trend in
reading proficiency. The largest of such gain was demonstrated by Kilakila Academy
between school years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 with an increased of 12% in one
year. The sample size of Naauao Academy’s students was too small to be
represented in a disaggregated table.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011
AYP
Target
Aloha
Kilakila
Naauao
80

Figure 4.3. Percent proficient or better on reading HSA of Asian/Pacific Islander
subgroup
*State data source: Hawaii State Department of Education, System Evaluation & Reporting Section

Assessment Data: Math Proficiency
The three sample HFCS were selected for their pattern of rising academic
achievement from school year 2006-2007 through 2010-2011. Each school’s pattern
of rising achievement is shown below in Figure 4.4.
Although the sample schools have fallen short in meeting the AYP target,
each of them have demonstrated moderate growth in the area of reading proficiency
over the four school years. Aloha Academy experienced the biggest gains (18%)
while Kilakila Academy and Naauao Academy also experienced gains of 12% and
9% respectively over the course of the four years. In comparison to the State
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011
Aloha Academy
Kilakila Academy
81
improvement over the same four school years, the sample schools demonstrated
comparable growth in that the percent of proficient or better students in the state
grew by 16%.

Figure 4.4. Percent proficient or better on math HSA of three sample schools
*State data source: Hawaii State Department of Education, System Evaluation & Reporting Section

By disaggregating the data into identified subgroups, a clearer picture can be
seen as to how schools better support, or don’t support, their subgroups overall
proficiency in reading. Due to small numbers of these schools, there was only data
available for the Asian/Pacific Islander subgroup for two of the three sample schools.
As shown in Figure 4.5 below, the Asian/Pacific Islander population, of which
Hawaiian students are grouped with, followed a modest rising trend in math
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011
AYP Target
Aloha
Kilakila
Naauao
State
82
proficiency. The largest of such gain was demonstrated by Kilakila Academy
between school years 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 with an increased of 7% in one
year.

Figure 4.5. Percent proficient or better on math HSA of Asian/Pacific Islander
subgroup
*State data source: Hawaii State Department of Education, System Evaluation & Reporting Section

Instructional Vision & Improvement Strategies
The observations of instructional vision and improvement strategies at the
school level will be discussed in the context of Odden’s (2009) ten strategies for
doubling student performance. The strategies are: 1) Understanding the
performance problem; 2) Setting ambitious goals; 3) Creating an instruction vision
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011
Aloha Academy
Kilakila Academy
83
and implementing an effective curriculum; 4) Commitment to formative assessments
and data-driven decision making; 5) Effective professional development; 6) Utilizing
class time effectively; 7) Intervention strategies for struggling students; 8)
Collaborative professional culture; 9) Instructional leadership; and 10) External
expertise.
Understanding the Performance Problem
For any change to occur, there needs to be, at the very least, a perceived need
for such a change especially when that change is increasing student performance.
Odden (2009) discusses that schools must be able to identify and understand the
learning needs as well as the overall performance of its students. One clear theme
that arose from each of the schools in this study is that HFCS were created as a
community driven response to address the educational needs of Hawaiian students.
State standardized test results continuously demonstrate that ethnic Hawaiian
students in traditional public schools underperform the average student in the same
grade (Tibbetts, 2002). With minimal to nothing being done in Hawaii’s traditional
public schools to address this performance issue, various Hawaiian communities
took the opportunity to create a HFCS. Odden (2009) describes this as having being
motivated by the “moral” drive to close the achievement gap and improve academic
performance.
With the opportunity to take the Hawaii State Assessment (HSA) three times,
as well as the use of other student performance assessments, school administrators
are provided with the appropriate data to better understand their students’
84
performance. Each of the school administrators expressed that they know there is a
performance gap between how their own students perform on the HSA and the AYP
targets. Failure to address these gaps could result in school closure and/or loss of the
school charter. Naauao Academy’s administrator sought to better understand how
AYP is determined for her school specifically. With an advantage of a small school
population, she was able to determine that as little as one student missed some of the
targets.
To summarize, all three schools in this study have demonstrated a basic
understanding of the performance challenges of its students. The administrator at
Naauao Academy seem to have a slightly better understanding of these challenges by
knowing exactly how many students fell short of meeting the AYP targets. Also, it
appears that staff has been responsive to school leadership in addressing such
performance challenges, particularly in the area of reading where students who are
proficient or better have grown over the past five years.
Setting Ambitious Goals
Once school leaders begin to understand the performance challenges of its
students and in order for them to become successful, they must set ambitious goals
that include students from all subgroups (Odden, 2009).
Implementation of this strategy at the sample schools had a common tone,
which was simply to meet AYP. In order to achieve AYP, the schools would need to
increase the number of students who meet or exceed proficiency on the HSA.
Neither of the school administrators had targeted a specific percentage or number of
85
increase necessary to achieve their goals. Each of them spoke in very general terms
about the need to make AYP. The administrator at Naauao Academy spoke briefly
on how her school has not made AYP for six consecutive years and is currently
sanctioned as a school in restructuring. As a result the school has reorganized its
programming with hopes to have more students passing the HSA. For Aloha
Academy, the school administrator discussed how they indirectly met the reading
AYP targets via safe harbor status and since then the goal is to maintain and improve
the gains on reading while focusing on math and science. At Kilakila Academy, the
school administrators spoke similarly in that the conversation involved improving
math and reading scores and making AYP.
Not relating to any specific measure of progress, each of the schools in this
study stressed a strong desire for their students to graduate from their school not only
with the skills necessary for success, but also with the perspective and cultural
grounding in Hawaiian culture and traditions. The administrator at Aloha Academy
expressed that their ultimate goal is for its students to be able to walk and function in
both a Hawaiian and Western world. Likewise, Kilakila Academy strives for its
students to achieve academic excellence through the medium of Hawaiian language.
And similarly, Naauao Academy is focusing on improving the usage of Hawaiian
language in its students while also preparing its students for post-secondary
schooling. This demonstrates that, for the schools in this study at least, setting
ambitious goals go far beyond core academics. HFCS in general have similar goals
86
for their students where academic success is coupled with a strong Hawaiian cultural
foundation.
Although setting specific number or percentage targets was absent in the
description of setting ambitious goals, the administrators of the sample schools each
emphasized that it was important for their school to improve the overall well-being,
including academic performance, of the Hawaiian population – or at the least ensure
that their students will be well equipped to take on the 21
st
century. The
administrators for Kilakila Academy spoke in detail about broadening the idea of
what is success and expressed that as a school, they are experiencing success in
many different ways including facilitating students through attaining a GED if it was
determined that a school setting was not the best fit for the student to succeed.
In the end, the sample schools have moderately implemented the strategy of
setting ambitious goals (Odden, 2009). The schools have witnessed steady growth,
especially in reading, over the past five academic years but have continually missed
the AYP target. Similarly, the schools experienced modest growth in math, with the
exception of a drop in the number of proficient students in 2008-2009. However, the
gap between the AYP target and the schools’ performance is much larger.
Creating an Instructional Vision & Implementing an Effective Curriculum
Marzano (2003) identified that one of the problems that teachers and students
face in the classroom is a lack of adequate curriculum. As a result, Odden (2009)
found that schools that adopted new curriculum and changed their instructional
87
approaches as a part of their educational strategy were successful in improving
student performance.
In the sample schools, this strategy was highly reflected in the discussions
that arose surrounding a school improvement plan. The exception to this was Naauao
Academy where the school administrator made mention of a school wide reading
program the purpose of which was to cultivate an interest in reading for students as
well as encourage more conversations around literature. Beyond this, there was no
further discussion regarding the development, adoption or implementation of either a
reading or math curriculum.
At Aloha Academy, a new reading program was adopted which was
developed from research-based practices. Prior to this, teachers at Aloha Academy
were to do their best in creating their own reading curricula and implement them in
their various projects. When reading scores were not improving at a rate fast enough
to keep up with the increasing state AYP target, the administrators decided that the
school needed something more systematic and research based. As a result, the
faculty formed literacy committees whose purpose was to investigate different
reading programs happening at other schools. Through that process, the teachers
came across Corrective Reading for Interventions and Reading Mastery, which were
reading programs that were developed as part of the Reading Excellence Act (REA).
The adoption of these reading programs required that all teachers at Aloha Academy
become reading teachers. Students were grouped based on their ability levels and for
ninety minutes each day, students would focus on reading with their assigned group
88
and teacher. The school administrator also spoke generally about how reading and
math have been major focuses largely due to the demands of NCLB.
Kilakila Academy had also described, in some detail, their process for
creating and implementing an effective curriculum. Their school was awarded a
grant to develop a staircase curriculum across the multiple disciplines. At the onset,
the plan was to spend a year on reading, a year on math, a year on science, and so
forth. However after working on the reading curriculum for some time in the first
year, the administrators realized that one-year was not enough time to develop the
type of curriculum that the school needed. This was particularly due to the fact that
the school is a Hawaiian immersion school and there was little to no other curricular
materials off of which they could build. With respect to math, teachers at Kilakila
Academy would utilize various math curricula in the different math classes. In an
effort to increase student achievement in math, the school implemented Singapore
Math across the classrooms in grades K through 8. With the program designed
specifically for elementary and intermediate students, high school teachers would
employ teaching and learning strategies that were utilized and found successful in
the math program.
Commit to Formative Assessments and Data-Driven Decisions
Effective educational leaders must use data to guide their decision making
process in order to improve on student academic achievement (Odden, 2009; Odden
& Archibald, 2009; Black & William, 1998). Schools that utilized many types of
formative assessments to collect data and guide curricular instructions have
89
increased student achievement (Odden, 2009). Formative assessments allow
teachers to adjust instruction and interventions, as well as better understand the
specific skill gaps of their students (Skalski & Romero, 2011).
In evaluating the sample schools’ use of data from assessments to drive
instruction, Naauao Academy, as well as the other two sample schools, utilizes the
Hawaii State Assessment (HSA) as one form of assessment. Students are given three
opportunities throughout the year at the computer-based assessment. Although this
assessment is used to determine AYP for reading and math, the schools require all
students to participate regardless of how well they may have done on the previous
assessment. In addition to the HSA, Naauao Academy also has its students write
“exit slips” as students leave the class. This helps the teacher determine, on a
frequent basis, how much the student understands in the class. It also assists the
teacher in identifying students who may need additional assistance. Specific to
reading, Naauao Academy students each keep a reading portfolio/journal to track
their reading progress. The school also uses the NWEA assessment to determine
student-reading levels. By determining the reading level of the students, teachers
can begin to focus on specific gap areas to help students improve their reading skills.
Students at Naauauo Academy have their own “Learning Results Portfolio”. The
purpose of the portfolio is to document a student’s progress towards an identified
benchmark. Twice a quarter, the teachers will come together to review to portfolios
and identify students who are under-challenged and who need additional supports
and then adjust their curriculum accordingly.
90
Kilakila Academy takes the data collected on the HSA and conducts a
‘gallery walk’ for the school’s teachers. During the gallery walk, teachers are
provided the opportunity to share strategies that worked and have the student data to
support them. Twice a year, students participate in an Scholastic Reading Inventory
(SRI) assessment to determine and identify gap areas in reading. Along with the
SRI, students are also given a Hawaiian language comprehension assessment to
determine progress and growth in Hawaiian language. The school also utilizes
Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) as a math, web-based,
supplement which is aligned to the concepts and benchmarks that are assessed with
HSA. This supplemental program provides assessments twice a year, which
provides the teacher with data to assist in determining a student’s math progress.
Although there is a wide array of formative assessments that the school
administrators discussed, the discussion did not include a review of what happens to
the data once it is collected.
Aloha Academy also utilizes HSA and NWEA in the same way as the above
schools. Taking advantage of the computerized assessment and the ability to receive
results almost immediately, Aloha Academy groups its students according to ability
level based on those results. As the school administrator discussed assessments and
data there was a heavy emphasis on the school’s unique approach to assessing its
students. While acknowledging that the mandated assessments are necessary, there
was strong inference that the school places a high value on performance-based
student assessments. The school produces two hula dramas each year, one in the
91
mid-year and the other at the end of the school year. These hula dramas incorporate
what students have learned over the course of the year and are a demonstration of the
foundational values of the school. In addition to hula drama, students also put
together two conferences. Based on the grade level of the student, he or she will do
more or less of the presenting. Specifically for the high school students, their
conference is a presentation to their parents and teachers about their areas of
achievement, their strengths as well as areas that are posing challenges to them.
Overall, the sample schools employ a variety of formative assessments to
measure student progress. What is evidently missing is the schools’ commitment to
utilizing the data collected to drive instructional direction to improve student-
learning outcomes. Although this may be a void in the sample schools, progress is
still being made towards growth. Utilizing HSA scores as a measure, the sample
schools improve in reading proficiency by an average of 20% over the span of five
school years. The school administrator at Naauao Academy expressed a strong
desire to increase the use of data to inform decision-making and curricular direction.
As this is only her first year as head-of-school, it will be interesting to see how her
plans for a stronger data-driven culture will come to fruition and how it may, or may
not, impact student outcomes.
Effective Professional Development
Professional development, as noted by Darling-Hammond, Chung Wei and
Andree (2009), should be intensive, ongoing and connected to practice. It is also
more effective when it is sustained over time instead of one day workshops
92
scheduled throughout the year. Unfortunately, the sample schools in this study are
more representative of the latter. The exception, however, is Kilakila Academy who
received a grant of $1.23 million dedicated to professional development. Access to
this particular resource enabled teachers to work towards and obtain highly qualified
teacher (HQT) status, attend multiple conferences and school visits both in Hawaii
and abroad to improve the practice of teaching at the school, and to maintain an
educational consultant, School Rise, to provide resource teachers who conducted
classroom observations, as well as modeled teaching in the classrooms.
Aloha Academy has a 2.5 hour block each Friday afternoon during which
professional development activities can be scheduled. Students are released earlier
in the day allowing the faculty and staff that block of time. However, that block of
time has been used differently throughout the years. One year the school attempted
to implement a rotating schedule consisting of curriculum committee meetings,
administrative professional development and teacher planning. During the schools
accreditation process, the block of time was dedicated to fulfilling the requirements
of the accreditation application and review. This block of time is also used for
training that teachers might request.
At Naauao Academy, the school administrator explained that for her school,
professional development is determined by current and anticipated needs – which
currently is math, language arts, Hawaiian language and SPED advisement. She
further mentioned that due to the lack of resources to fulfill these needs, she tries to
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tap into resources from the local school board and community partners who might do
these kinds of workshops at minimal or no cost.
Overall, two of the three sample schools are void of effective professional
development for their teachers and staff. One of the biggest challenges that face
these schools is the lack of resources. Although Kilakila Academy’s discussion
painted a picture of effective professional development, their success at this strategy
may be attributed to the generous resources they received to implement professional
development at their school. Conversely, at the other schools it was expressed that
there is a lack of financial resources to fully implement this strategy.
Using Time Efficiently and Effectively
None of the schools in the studies conducted by Odden and associates
extended their school years or their schools days, but instead used the existing time
within their school days more effectively (Odden, 2009). Likewise, just as the
schools that Odden (2009) studied, the sample schools did not extend their
instructional day, but instead used the existing time more effectively in order to meet
their school goals. Coincidentally, all of the schools increased instructional time for
reading and the data suggest that the increased reading time is paying off.
One common challenge that the schools faced, was that because they are all
project-based schools they had to devise a schedule that allowed for the additional
reading instruction while not compromising too much of the project time.
Admittedly, the school administrators expressed that they did have to re-focus their
curricular foundations, like project-based, place-based and culture-based strategies,
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to ensure their students get sufficient time on the core academic subjects. It’s not to
say that the core subjects are not embedded and integrated into the curriculum
foundations, rather it is to provide the students with the best chances of doing well
on the standardized tests.
Multiple Interventions for Struggling Students
Odden’s (2009) research found that schools that provided interventions for
specific skills (example such as adding fractions with uncommon denominators) as
identified by the classroom teacher while also using different lessons and/or
approaches to re-teach concepts and promote understanding had doubled or nearly
doubled their students’ academic performance. The interventions were only
necessary until the student mastered the skill unless the teacher identified a new skill
that needed mastering. The primary intervention discussed by Odden (2009) was
tutoring by a highly trained tutor. Schools with a steady rise in achievement
provided 20 minutes of tutoring a day, three times a week. Among the sample
schools in this study, they each mention the implementation of tutoring as an
intervention strategy for struggling students. However, they discussed tutoring and
other intervention strategies at various lengths.
Naauao Academy provides mandatory study hall where students who need
assistance receive additional instruction and tutoring. The school administrators also
named “I Pass Math” as an online math-tutoring program that is provided to
students.
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At Kilakila Academy, free after school tutoring was provided, however only
a handful of students took advantage of the free service. In the previous years, the
schools has applied for and received grant monies to pay for a highly qualified tutor.
Unfortunately, that resource has been exhausted. School administrators are currently
working it out with the school’s full time Education Assistants to have them be the
tutors after school.
The school that went into most depth regarding student interventions was
Aloha Academy. During the school day, the grouping of students by ability level,
which was also implemented at the other schools, provides one means on
intervention to help struggling students. However, in addition there is an array of
interventions during the after-school hours that are provided for students. For
students in K-1, a program called “Literacy Enhancement” is offered where parents
can sign their child up to attend. For students in grades 2 though 5, they are offered
tutoring in math and reading. For students in middle and high school, they are
offered both tutoring and study hall. At this level, one-to-one tutoring is available
and in some scenarios teachers will mandate the additional help. Aloha Academy
also offers two online supplemental tutoring programs, ALEKS and another program
called “KidBiz ” and “TeenBiz”. As mentioned before ALEKS provide
supplemental math tutoring. KidBiz is primarily for the elementary students and
TeenBiz is for the older students. These programs provide supplemental reading
materials that have a science and social studies focus which support the integrated
delivery of the different projects.
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In summary, the sample schools have demonstrated an average
implementation of this strategy by providing tutoring for students who might be
struggling with the content. However, with minimum resources, the schools need to
be creative in resourcing their current staffing to ensure effective tutors during the
afterschool hours.
Creating Collaborative Professional Culture & Distributive Leadership
Odden and Archibald (2009) noted that in schools where student achievement
had significant gains, instructional practices were not something individualistic or
private to the teacher. Instead, work was done collaboratively to create a common
and professional approach to good instructional practice, peer classroom observation
and utilize formative assessments to determine, as a collective, how to design
instructional units. Using the work of DuFour (2004), Professional Learning
Communities (PLCs) ought to evaluate on the basis of three principles. The first
being a shift in focus from teaching to learning, the second is cultivating a culture of
collaboration, and the last results.
In reviewing the sample school’s implementation of this strategy it is
observed that the schools are not utilizing PLCs to their fullest potential, as described
above, but instead are working with some form of a PLC that is specific and unique
to their school. For instance, at Kilakila Academy, a PLC is looked at as a
collaborative learning environment for staff and faculty. As a result, small
discussions that usually take place at the various grade levels are taking place
regarding professional practice, student data, and new strategies. In addition, gallery
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walks, which were discussed previously, occur after each HSA testing. Teachers are
afforded the opportunity to share their student data as well as their teaching strategies
amongst each other and receive feedback from other teachers. Unfortunately,
however, the administrators explained that in many instances the teachers fail to
realize how much value they could bring to their colleagues. Although there are
strong and successful teachers in the classroom, they shy away from articulating their
classroom successes to their peers.
For Aloha Academy, teachers are assigned to a work committee that is
primarily based on their area of expertise. These committees individually discuss
various professional development needs as well as how they can provide school wide
professional development in their respective areas to all. They also engage in
discussion that involves best practices, strategies, and teacher practice. One
particular outcome of the work committees was that it became school policy for
teachers to prepare and provide their students with a syllabus for each of the classes.
The syllabus provided guidance, direction and laid out an expectation the teacher has
of the student. The syllabus also challenged teachers to work in closer collaboration
on topics such as grading to ensure consistency amongst the classes. Many of the
smaller committee discussions are later brought to the entire faculty and staff for
school wide decision-making.
The school administrator at Naauao Academy discussed various instances of
how she sees a high functioning collaborative culture at her school. One example
she discussed was how the entire school faculty and staff reviewed the student
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progress data and concluded that as a school, they would be committed to improving
student learning and removing the restructuring status from the school. With current
data in hand that outlined the current situation, including various gap areas, it was
the school community that discussed and decided on the plan of action. In order to
best utilize the staff at the school, the school administrator created teaching teams
that would be responsible for selected school projects (specifics not discussed) as
well as lead conversations and faculty meetings.
Collaborative and professional culture at the sample schools varied in many
ways. Further, they did not implement the strategy, as directed by research.
However, instances, although sometimes small, of the three principles discussed by
DuFour (2004) is evident throughout the different schools.
Related to professional collaborative culture is the concept of distributive
leadership. Multiple researchers (Ouchi, 2003; Marzano, Waters & McNulty, 2005;
Odden, Goetz & Picus, 2010) identify effective school leadership as an essential
element of school improvement. Odden (2009) further explains that leadership from
various levels in the system contributed to the ambitious student performance results.
Only two of the sample schools discussed, although briefly, how this strategy is
implemented. At Aloha Academy, each of the working committees discussed above
had lead teachers who are responsible for facilitating curriculum and instructions
discussions among their committee members and/or as directed by the school
administrator. Similarly, Naauao Academy utilizes a team of teachers to conduct
special projects that impact decision making at the school.
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Utilizing External Expertise
Schools with dramatically rising student achievement seek out educational
research and guidance from experts in the field, because they realize that they may
not have all the answers (Odden, 2009). Only two schools, Kilakila Academy and
Naauao Academy were able to articulate the use of external expertise in their
schools. Kilakila Academy was able to contract with School Rise, an educational
consultant group, to observe and provide feedback to teachers about their
instructional methods and delivery. In addition, a resource teacher was brought in to
do the same and provide different teaching strategies in math. At Naauao Academy,
the head-of-school contracts with external experts to come to the school to conduct
classroom observations of the teachers delivering instruction. These observations
provide an opportunity for the teachers to receive feedback on their instructional
delivery and make necessary improvements.
Table 4.1 summarizes the implementation of the ten strategies in the various
sample schools, assigning a value from 1 to 4 that ranks their execution in each area
as well as a total score representing their overall performance.

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Table 4.1
Implementation of 10 Strategies at Sample Schools
School
10 Strategies to Double Student Performance
Aloha
Academy
Kilakila
Academy
Naauao
Academy
Understanding the performance problem 3 3 4
Setting Ambitious Goals 3 3 3
Creating an instructional vision &
implementing an effective curriculum
4 4 2
Commitment to formative assessments and
data-driven decision-making
4 3 3
Effective professional development 2 4 2
Collaborative professional culture 3 4 3
Utilizing class time effectively 3 3 2
Multiple interventions for struggling students 3 3 2
Distributive school leadership 3 1 4
Utilizing external expertise 1 4 3
Total 29 33 28
Note: 4 = Strong; 3 = Average; 2 = Weak; 1 = Not Evident

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Comparison of School Resources to the Evidence-Based Model
The framework of the Evidence-Based Model identifies effective, research-
based strategies and allocates resources aligned to support high-quality instruction in
a school. The model also determines an adequate expenditure level by placing a
price on the various components. Although the State allocates a per pupil amount to
charter schools, it is less than what is allocated to regular public schools. In school
year 2009-2010, the per-pupil allocation for a charter school student was $5,573
compared with $12,917 (The Auditor, State of Hawaii, 2011) for a regular Hawaii
public school student. With such a low per-pupil allocation, Hawaii charter schools
struggle to maintain an operating budget that is sufficient enough to cover basic
overhead costs as well as provide and maintain high-quality educational programs.
This section compares the recommended Evidence-Based Model allocation
recommendations for a prototypical school to the actual allocation at the sample
schools.
Determining the amount for specific resources proved to be extremely
difficult for each of the three sample schools. One of the biggest challenges was
collecting similar data from the three sample schools. Regular Hawaii DOE school
principals are required to prepare and submit an Academic Financial Plan and The
Narrative of the Academic Financial plan. Unfortunately, Hawaii charter schools are
not required to submit one. Instead, individual schools prepare their own yearly
financial plans. After reviewing available documents which included the Annual
Self-Evaluation, Accreditation Report and Financial Audits, and speaking with
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school administrators in person, over the phone and by email, specific spending for
some areas remained undetermined.
One of the most expensive resource allocation based on strategies to improve
student performance is reducing class size. According to Odden and Picus (2008),
core-class sizes of 15 are recommended for kindgarten through third grade and class
sizes of 25 for grades 4-12, where the core is defined as the regular classroom
teacher in elementary school and teachers of math, science, history, English and
foreign language in secondary schools. As Table 4.2 displays below, the sample
schools do not compare well with what is recommended by the EBM, in terms of
class size. As public schools that are afforded the flexibility to be innovative with
their educational approaches, many charter schools in Hawaii choose to have multi-
aged classrooms. Such is the instance with Aloha Academy that reports having 30
Kindergarteners. This amount represents true kindergarteners (K) as well as junior
Kindergarteners (JK), or those students who are or will become age 4. Although this
number is double the EBM recommendation, they are split between 2 multi-aged
classrooms of JK and K and another of K and first graders. The school administrator
for Aloha Academy acknowledged that although multi-aged is a foundational belief
for the school, the bottom line reasoning for the combining of grades is the lack of
classroom space and teaching resources. Similarly, the lower elementary grade
levels for both Aloha Academy and Kilakila Academy exceed the EBM
recommendation of 15 students per class.

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Table 4.2
Comparisons of Class Sizes in the EBM vs. Sample Schools
Grade Range EBM Aloha Academy Kilakila Academy Naauao Academy
K 15 30 24 -
1-2 15 22 32 -
3-4 15 21 20 -
5-6 25 16 21 12 (6
th
grade only)
7-8 25 16 14 14
9-10 25 14 11 9
11-12 25 11 6 11
*Note: Class sizes for sample schools were determined by an averaged of students
in the grade range. Also, none of the school had more than one class per single grade
level.

For various reasons, as students progress to the upper elementary grades
(grades 4-6), they tend to attrition out of the school causing a drop in enrollment.
Contrary, the EBM recommends that class size increase as students enter upper
elementary and on through middle and high school. In every instance, the sample
schools fall short of reaching the EBM recommendation for class size. Each school
administrator had expressed that class size is intentionally set at no more than 15
students, with some room for more. As schools that employ a project-based
curricular foundation, smaller class sizes are more manageable. Also, the concern
expressed by Aloha Academy’s administrator regarding the lack of physical space to
accommodate more students is in fact an issue for the other sample schools as well.
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With majority of a charter school’s operating costs coming from a per-pupil
allocation, class size and overall student enrollment is the single, most-important
factor in determining the amount of financial resources a school will receive from the
state. It ultimately becomes a delicate balancing act that must consider existing
resources such as physical space for classrooms, offices and other school buildings
and seeking out high enough enrollments to support the operations of the school.
With too many students, there may not be enough classroom space or teachers to
support a high enrollment. On the other hand, with a low enrollment financial
resources become scarce and it becomes more difficult for the school to distribute
among the various school operational and instructional needs. Table 4.3 below
shows how the three sample schools compare to the EBM resource allocation
recommendations. In majority of the instances, the sample schools fall short of the
amount recommended by the EBM.
In all of the sample schools, the actual amount of core teachers exceeds the
EBM recommendation. The amount ranges from 2.8 more FTE at Kilakila Academy
to 6 more FTE at Aloha Academy. Another area where the actual amount exceeds
the EBM is school principal. In both K-12 schools, there are 2 FTE school principals
– though that may not be their official title. In these two K-12 schools, one principal
is dedicated to the elementary grades (K-6), while the other oversees the middle and
high school (7-12) as well as serves as overall school director.

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Table 4.3
Schools’ Resource Allocation Comparison to EBM
Aloha Academy
229 Students
Kilakila Academy
128 Students
Naauao Academy
(80 Students)
School Element EBM Actual EBM Actual EBM Actual
Core Teachers 13 19 7.2 10 9 13
Specialist Teachers 2.5 0 1.44 0 .92 0
Instructional Facilitators/
Mentors
1 1 Rdg Coach 1 0 .42 0
Tutors 1.3 0 .55 0 .52 0
Teachers ELL 2.3 0 1.3 0 .8 0
Extended Day FTE 1 0 .45 0 .12 0
Summer School FTE 1 0 .45 0 .12 0
Learning Disabled FTE 1.5 1 .88 0 .57 1
Substitutes $0 $0 $0
Pupil Support
1.3
2

.55 0 .52 0
Instructional Aides 0 5 0 2.5 0 1
Non-Instructional Aides 1 1 SSC .6 0 .38 0
Librarian/ Media
Specialists
1 0 1 0 1 0
Principal
1
1 Principal (K-6)
1 Principal/
Director (7-12)
1
1 Principal,
1 Director
.9 1
School Secretaries/Clerk 1 Secretary
3 Clerical
1 SASA
2 AdminAsst.
1 Secretary
3 Clerical
1 Secretary
1 Secretary
3 Clerical
1 Secretary
1 Clerical
PD
$100 per pupil
$22,900 $35,000 $12,800 $8,000 $7,000
Technology
$250 per pupil
$57,250
$50,000 ($218/
pupil)
$32,000 $16,500 0
Resources for Gifted and
Talented Students
$25 per pupil
$5,725 0 $3,200 $1,650 0
Instructional Materials
$140 per pupil
$32,060 $232,000 $17,920 $9,240 $22,887
Student Activities
$200 per pupil
$45,800 0 $25,600 $13,200 $4,425

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All of the schools do not have specialist teachers, tutors or any extended day
FTE allocations. Aloha Academy shared that their regular teacher are also the ones
who would tutor during after school hours. The same goes for instructional coaches,
except for Aloha Academy that has 1 FTE instructional coach, who also serves as
testing coordinator for the school. Since the schools do not have any English
language learners, there are no FTE allocated for this element. Also, with a scarce
pool of resources, all of the sample schools do not allocate for substitutes. As a
result, other school staff, either teacher, EA, office, etc., fill in when a substitute is
needed due to illness or other emergency. Also, professional development for
teachers is severely limited with this restriction. Due to a lack of research to support
any positive impact instructional aides have on student achievement, the EBM does
not allocate any resources for this element. However, the sample schools in this
study utilize a range of FTE in this area with a high of 5 FTE at Aloha Academy to
just 1 FTE at Naauao Academy.
Resource allocation for support items such as technology, professional
development, instructional materials, and student activities varied at each school,
where the data were provided. Numerous follow up phone calls and emails were
attempted to clarify the data, however with no response from the school
administrators, the data presented were collected from an accreditation application
and annual financial audits, while Kilakila Academy’s information was left blank
because of no response. Aloha Academy has an allocated $35,000 for professional
development, $12,100 more than the EBM recommendation. Although these
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resources are allocated, the school administrator did not go into very much detail
regarding how these resources were used to improve student achievement.
Similarly, Naauao Academy allocated just $1,000 less than the EBM
recommendation, yet did not detail how the resources get expended. Instead, the
school administrator expressed a very limited professional development budget and
described PD activities that were of no cost. Technology and student activities were
also allocated below the EBM recommendations for the two schools that had
available data.
Instructional materials were an area that the sample school allocated
significant amounts more than the EBM recommendation. In one report, it stated
that the allocation of funds were consistent with the manner in which instruction is
delivered at the schools. Aloha Academy, in its accreditation report, allocated
$232,000 toward instructional materials while Naauao Academy allocated $22,887,
which for this school also included instructional equipment.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze school level data related
to allocation of resources at Hawaiian-focused charter schools with rising academic
achievement and compare them to the framework of the Evidence-Based Model by
Odden and Picus (2008) and by Odden and Archibald’s (2009) Ten Strategies for
Doubling Student Performance to determine which strategies the three sample
schools were implementing to support increased student achievement.
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It was difficult to utilize Odden and Picus’s (2008) allocation framework
suggested for a prototypical elementary school as a comparison for this study
because it was difficult to determine the actual allocation of resources at the schools.
Although isolated, one school did not provide financial data for a comparison. For
the schools in which financial information was provided, it demonstrated a mix-bag
of results when being compared to the EBM. One significant observation is the area
of class size. As the EBM recommends class size increase in the upper elementary
through high school grades, the sample schools decreased. Also, in the lower
elementary grades, especially kindergarten, the sample schools class size was almost
double the EBM recommendation. Additionally, the sample schools each have more
instructional staff than is called for by the EBM. This includes core teachers and
instructional aides, which the EBM does not allocate due to lack of research
supporting their effectiveness in improving student achievement. Conversely, other
staffing resources like tutors, substitutes, extended day, and disabled learners were
generally below the EBM recommendation.
In the two schools that have elementary grades, there was the additional
prsence of education assistants that aided the teacher. This did help to alleviate the
large class size, particularly in kindergarten. As student approach the middle to high
school grade, instructional time is more dedicated to project-based instruction that
usually take place off site. With the smaller class size, there is usually one teacher
per project, and each project is broken up by grade levels.
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This study was able to examine each of the sample schools implementation of
Odden & Archibald’s (2009) strategies for doubling student performance at some
level. Many of the strategies were mediocre and in some cases weak in
implementation, especially the use of effective professional development, one that is
intensive, on-going and connected to practice. Overall, it was the largest school, by
enrollment, that demonstrated the greatest cumulative implementation of the ten
strategies.

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CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSION
This final chapter presents a brief overview of the study, a summary of the
research findings, implications for practice, recommendations for future research,
and a conclusion.
Overview of the Study
For many years, the United States, as a whole, has focused predominantly on
the outputs of the educational system and in doing so have invested large amounts of
money. Within the context of the economic crisis that has affected the country at
large as well as individual state budges, the approach has shifted to include a new
focus on the return on investment of education (Odden, 2000). A part of this new
emphasis on both inputs and output of the education system public schools are being
challenged to continuously meet the mounting needs of students, within a diverse
population and by using less money.
Hawaiian-focused charter schools (HFCS) are schools that are 1) initiated,
supported and controlled by a Hawaiian community; 2) offers Hawaiian culture-
based curriculum, instruction and assessment; 3) committed to perpetuating
Hawaiian culture, language, values and traditions; and 4) actively contribute to the
growth of Hawaiian-focused education through participation in ongoing research and
dissemination of best practices (Na Lei Naauao – Native Hawaiian Charter School
Alliance). The purpose of this study was to examine school improvement strategies
and resource allocation practices at three Hawaiian-focused charter schools that
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experienced a rise in academic performance from school year 2006-07 through 2010-
11. Although these schools were not selected for their Title 1 status, all of the
schools in this study were Title 1 schools. With recent state budget cuts, HFCS have
also lost significant amounts of financial resources, when in fact, they already had
less resources to begin with (Creamer, 2010). Despite this, however, the schools in
this study experienced gains in reading achievement that ranged from 19% to 21%
and math achievement that ranged from 9% to 18%. Data collected from the three
sample schools were compared to the Evidence-Based Model (Odden & Picus, 2008)
and analyzed to identify how resources were allocated and improvements
implemented to promote increased student achievement.
Odden, Goetz, and Picus (2010) developed a model for allocation of
resources. This model would assist schools by providing guidance in defining the
answer to, “How much will it cost to allocate resources to improve student
performance?” The model also clarifies how organizational structures of schools and
its resource allocations contribute to the success of student academic achievement.
The Evidence-Based Model (EBM) provides a framework by establishing a starting
point for schools that can be adjusted based on enrollment size. Additionally it
clears up the importance of schools using data on students learning, to identify the
needs of a particular student population. The EBM is merely a framework and does
not claim to be a one-size fits all model. Instead, the EBM can be customized to
improve student performance at individual school levels through research based
resource allocation.
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Through research, Odden and Archibald (2009) identified ten strategies,
described in Chapter 2, for doubling or near doubling student performance within the
Evidence-Based Model that tie directly into the allocation of resources that support
these strategies. These strategies may provide educational leaders with guidance,
particularly in times of fiscal constraint, on how to effectively use their funding to
support high-quality, comprehensive, school-wide academic improvement. The
notion of needing more money to improve student performance is misleading.
Odden, Goetz and Picus (2010) argue that money should be allocated more
effectively and directed toward strategies that are connected to improved student
learning outcomes. Should more money be necessary according to the EBM, there is
a common starting point for discussion for district and school administrators to
understand specifically where the additional resources are needed, and how much
more is necessary. However, before such a request be made, it is important for
school administrators to understand how their current financial resources are
allocated and if they are being used effectively.
Discussion of Research Findings
This study asked three research questions:
• What are the current instructional vision and improvement strategies at
the school?
• How do resource allocation patterns at Hawaiian-focused charter school
sites align with, or differ from, the resource use recommendations in the
Evidence-Based Model?
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• How have allocation of resources supported the school’s instructional
strategies used to carry out the school’s instructional vision and mission?
• What are the current instructional vision and improvement strategies at
the school?
All of the schools in this study are considered to be Hawaiian-focused charter
schools. This means that they are initiated, supported and controlled by a Hawaiian
community. Further, they offer a pedagogy that is firmly rooted in Hawaiian cultural
traditions, history and language. As a means to take an active part in lessening the
academic achievement gap that exists between Hawaiian student and their peers in
the public school system, Hawaiian-focused charter schools (HFCS) are committed
to best preparing their students, who are predominantly of Hawaiian ancestry, to be
successful contributors to society who are firmly grounded in Hawaiian culture and
are academically prepared to become professionals in their fields of choice. Each
schools Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) makes clear the individual school’s
vision of a community-based, community-driven educational program that provides
opportunities for Hawaiian students to thrive and be successful.
However, as schools that receive public funding, HFCS are still held
accountable to the various accountability mechanism mandated by federal and state
governments. One in particular is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. With the
goal of all students in public schools being proficient in both reading and math by the
year 2014, schools are held to achieving identified benchmarks each year. Failure to
do so could result in various sanctions that may include school closure, or in the case
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of charter schools, revoking of the school’s charter. Although the sample schools
have fallen short of the benchmark target for the past few years, they have all
demonstrated a steady rise in student academic achievement. The rise in academic
achievement also came during a time where charter schools per-pupil funding
decreased each year. Despite this challenge, schools continued to make progress and
improve student learning. The findings of this study illustrate that the schools
allotted resources using strategies that are similar to the research-based strategies of
the Evidence-Based Model.
Understanding the Performance Problem
The three school administrators were hesitant in addressing the specific
overall achievement gap or the low percentage of proficient students at their school.
However, each of them did emphasize that they are aware of their school’s status as
it relates to NCLB. As all of them did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in
the previous years, their primary focus is preparing their students well enough to
succeed on the Hawaii State Assessment (HSA), the test that determines AYP. Two
of the three schools relied on their reports back from the state’s testing office to help
analyze and determined where the performance issues were at. The third school had
initiated a meeting with the state’s testing office to concretely understand what the
performance issues were.
Setting Ambitious Goals
In alignment with each of the schools individual vision, the school
administrators had all expressed that it is their school’s goal to have their students
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graduate not only with the skills necessary for success, but also with the perspective
and cultural grounding in Hawaiian culture and tradition. Each school administrator
also provided specific goals of their own school that did not necessarily align to
AYP. They do not dismiss the importance of making AYP, or having their students
perform well on the HSA, rather they continue to focus and stress on the importance
of success as determined by their school community.
Creating an Instructional Vision and Implementing an Effective Curriculum
Ranging from a new reading program that was developed from research-
based practices to creating a staircase reading curriculum across all grade levels,
sample schools realized the importance of changing the curriculum and adopting or
creating a new program that is grounded in research and has demonstrated success.
Although only two of the schools discussed changing or adopting a brand new
curriculum, all three schools employed the practice of grouping their students by
ability versus grade level. This allowed teachers to focus intently on specific gap
areas.
Commitment to Formative Assessments and Data-Driven Decisions
Although the sample schools have utilized formative assessments to help
inform teachers on their students’ progress, it was evident that schools are not
making a more distinct connection between the formative assessments with the
learning interventions in the classroom. Since the HSA is a test that can be taken up
to three times per year, two of the schools utilize them as a means of tracking student
progress. Another assessment used a similar manner is the NWEA.
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Effective Professional Development
Quality professional development is ongoing, embedded in practice and
intensive. Only one of the sample schools was able to demonstrate a strong
implementation of this strategy, while the other two was found to be weak. At the
school where professional development was strongly implemented, teachers were
able to receive financial support to attain highly qualified teacher (HQT) status,
attend multiple conferences, and visit schools both in Hawaii and abroad to improve
teacher practices. The school was also able to maintain an educational consultant to
provide in-class resource for teachers who conducted classroom observations as well
as modeled teaching in the classroom.
The implementation of this strategy made clear how differently school
leaders conceptualize professional development. Each of the sample schools has an
identified block of time for professional development each week. Unfortunately, that
time was also used for a variety of other school meetings.
Using Time Efficiently and Effectively
As noted by Odden (2009) schools utilizing the existing time more
effectively has contributed to student achievement. None of the sample schools in
this study went counter to what research has strongly suggested. Instead, schools
modified their daily schedule to provide for a block of time in the beginning of the
day for reading. During this dedicated block of time, students were separated into
groups based on their reading level.
117
The sample schools all have a strong project-based focus, primarily in the
upper grades. This allotted block of time had impacted the delivery of project-based
instruction as well as lessened the time for project-based learning. The sample
school administrators expressed that they did have to re-focus their curricular
strategies, like project –based learning, to ensure their students receive sufficient
time in reading. It’s not to say that the core subjects are not embedded and
integrated into the curriculum foundations, rather it is to provide students with the
best chances of doing well on standardized tests.
Multiple Interventions for Struggling Students
Learning interventions for students at the sample schools ranged from one-to-
one tutoring to online, web-based program such as ALEKS , KidBiz and TeenBiz.
These supplemental materials were offered to all students and mandated only to
those who needed the additional help. After school tutoring is also offered to
students and sometime mandated by their teacher. Majority of the staff tutor teach or
hold positions during the regular school day. Due to a lack of resources, HFCS do
not offer summer school.
Creating a Collaborative Professional Culture& Distributive Leadership
All of the schools had discussed the ideas of a Professional Learning
Community (PLC) and had given examples on how they are being implemented at
their schools. The school administrators shared that although the term is not being
used, the ideas of a PLC are driving some of the staff collaboration efforts of the
school. One school conducts gallery walks of students’ HSA scores for its teaching
118
staff. In doing so, teachers are allowed to share and get asked about their strategies
as it relates to HSA. Also, the gallery walk provides a forum for teachers and staff to
discuss assessments, adjust curriculum, plan and create curriculum as well as learner
interventions. The level of recommended implementation of PLCs as described by
DuFour (2005) with the collaborative, professional culture also recommended by
Odden and Archibald (2009) varied.
In conjunction with PLCs, leadership teams were formed however they were
composed of different members according to the staff they had available. At one
school, leaders are utilized to conduct special projects that might impact decision-
making.
Utilizing External Expertise
In two of the three schools, external expertise, primarily related to teacher
instruction, was provided. One school contracted School Rise to observe and
provide feedback to their teachers about their instructional strategies, methods and
delivery. The other school did sometime similar, but with another company.
How are resource allocation patterns at Hawaiian-focused charter school sites
align with, or differ from, the resource use recommendations in the Evidence-Based
Model?
Overall, the resource allocation patterns at the sample Hawaiian-focused
charter schools are different and in most areas have discrepancies. Specific
expenditures for EBM components, such as technology and student activities, vary
from year to year, primarily due to an every changing per-pupil allocation amount
119
from the state. School documents collected at the sites were not useful for a
comparison since schools track and report expenditures in different ways. For
example, at one site it was reported that in one fiscal year $232,000 were spent for
instructional material. That amounts to over $1,000 per student. However, at the
same school site there was no expenditures, or at least noted expenditures, for
student activities. However, the allocations in comparison to the recommendations
of the Evidence-Based Model (EBM) that could be compared are discussed below.
There is a large discrepancy between the Evident-Based Model’s (EBM)
prototypical school and the three sample schools in almost all the different
components. One of the most expensive resources is class size. The EBM
recommends that in grades K-3, the class size be 15 and for grades 4-12, that the
class size be 25. At all of the sample schools, the actual class size is just the opposite
where lower grades have a larger class size which decreases significantly in the
upper grades. At one school, the class size is almost double of what the EBM
recommends for kindergarten. While regular public schools in Hawaii are allocated
state resources based on a weighted student formula, Hawaii charter schools,
including the ones in this study, are allocated resources based on their projected
enrollment numbers for the upcoming school year, and does not take into
consideration students with various learning needs. Thus, for the various
components in this EBM, their actual allocation is heavily dependent upon the initial
resources received from the state. In addition, with a per-pupil allocation at charter
120
schools is less than what regular public schools receive, charter schools begin with
less resources to spread among the varying components.
The schools in this study also have anywhere between 2 to 6 more core
teachers than the EBM recommendation. Also, none of the schools have any
specialist teachers and tutors, and only one school has one reading coach. Although
the EBM does not allocate for instructional aides, they are presented in the
comparison so that a more robust picture can be articulated with regards to the actual
amount of instructional staff. Hawaiian-focused charter schools pride themselves on
utilizing project-based and placed-based learning strategies as a method of delivering
instruction. In many instances, and for a significant amount of the instructional time,
students spend engaged in these instructional activities that take place outside of the
traditional four-walled classroom. Some of these unique learning sites include a
double-hulled sailing canoe, a loʻ i (traditions taro field), a fishpond, and fresh water
streams. Although at least one school administrator expressed that she was over-
staffed with core teachers in comparison to student enrollment, they all have
expressed the need for additional teaching staff to successfully implement their
curricular strategies.
Although the EBM allocates for teacher substitutes, they are not calculated
for comparison since none of the schools budget for substitutes. This is primarily
due to a lack of funding. Should a substitute be needed, existing teachers on staff are
used to fill-in. This severely prohibits teacher from engaging in professional
development activities that would require them to be away during school hours.
121
Technology allocations were less than the EBM recommendation at the two
schools where the information was available. At one school, there was a $7,250
short fall and at the other a $16,500 shortfall from what the EBM recommends. For
the latter school, the shortfall is a result of the school not allocating any resources to
technology. Technology provides resources in the form of learning programs that
provide customization to the students’ identified gap areas. However, if funds are not
allocated for technology, these types of customizable programs cannot be purchased.
How have allocation of resources supported the school’s instructional
strategies used to carry out the school’s instructional vision and mission?
Although a lack of funding cannot be best supported by a comparison to the
EBM, all of the schools’ administrators articulated that they are challenged as school
leaders to allocate their limited resources to areas that can best support student
academic achievement. The EBM does not take into account other large cost factors
that implicate the allocations of EBM components, such as facilities. Unless a
conversion charter school, which the sample schools are not, charter schools are left
to find and fund their own school facilities. The per-pupil allocation provided to
charter schools does not take facilities into account therefore, making resource
allocation a challenge. Grants and other resource providers, like Kamehameha
Schools, are limited resources as well and are not guaranteed from year to year.
One of the challenges that were expressed by two of the school
administrators is that teachers “burn-out” as the school year progresses. This is
largely due to the lack of resources to provide extra help qualified tutors and/or
122
specialist teachers as well as student supports, like guidance or school counselors.
With out these necessary school components, the burden of fulfilling duties they
otherwise would falls on the teachers.
Implications for Policy & Practice
A review of this study’s findings recommends that any school, charter, public
and even private, focused on improving student achievement in their schools begin
by using Odden and Archibald’s (2009) 10 Strategies for Doubling Student
Performance as a framework to understand their gap areas as well as a guide for
improvement. This study also supports the use of the EBM as a framework to
compare the allocation of resources that supported the strategies. However, it should
be taken into consideration that some learning environments, like Hawaiian-focused
charter schools, operate differently and may need to be resourced differently as well.
Nevertheless, the use of the 10 strategies and the EBM provide a foundation from
which discussions on funding policies can begin to take place.
This study demonstrates that more money does is not always necessary for
improving student achievement. In light of that, it is imperative that school leaders
are well equipped in current educational research that support the development and
understanding of how to allocate resources to focus on improving student
achievement.
The results of this study further support that the use of formative assessments,
using time effectively and changing the curriculum or implementing a new one are
essential components that lead to increased student achievement. Along with setting
123
ambitious goals and creating a collaborative professional culture, these strategies
were attainable in all of the sample schools regardless of their size. Also, these
strategies did not require a significant amount of additional resources.
Complimenting each other, these strategies actually enable the development of the
other such as the focus on ambitious goals contributing to the development of a
collaborative professional culture.
In addition to highlighting how resources are used in Hawaiian-focused
schools, this study raises the existing tension between charter schools and regular
public schools. The theory behind the charter school movement is that when states
adopt charter school laws, it allows for the conversion of current public schools to a
charter status and/or the start-up of new charter schools. These schools are then
awarded charters that grant them the autonomy to be innovative, make their own
decisions regarding organizational structure, determine curriculum and decide on the
educational emphasis of their school. Reciprocally, charter schools are then held
accountable for the academic achievement of their students or risk sanctions.
The autonomous nature of charter schools allow for Hawaiian-focused
charter schools to dictate their educational pathway to success. For majority of
HFCS, it is through Hawaiian culture-based educational strategies that academic
success can be attained. Culture-based strategies combines a specific culture,
language, history, content and context that is then embedded in sound pedagogical
practices, like project-based learning, to create an educational environment that is
conducive and reflective of student realities, background and culture (Kaiwi &
124
Kahumoku, 2006). Research suggests that culture-based educational practices have
positively impacted educational outcomes, particularly in Hawaiian students
(Kanaiaupuni, Ledward, & Jensen, 2010).
For most, if not all, of the HFCS the belief is that by employing educational
practices that are grounded in Hawaiian culture, they are giving their students the
best opportunity to be successful. With the passage of No Child Left Behind, the
pressure for schools to demonstrate academic success increased significantly.
Mainly the attainment of state determined adequate yearly progress (AYP)
benchmarks make up the majority of how success is defined. Over ten years later
HFCS, like the three in this study, continue to struggle in meeting AYP benchmarks.
In much of the public discussion surrounding what a good school looks like,
a notion of passing the test or meeting AYP comes up with regard to constitutes a
successful school, inferring that success is defined solely on the basis of “passing the
test”. Contrary, Hawaiian-focused charter schools challenge the public notion of
success. For the sample schools in this study, success is framed in the context of the
student versus national and state education policy. Recall the student at Kilakila
academy who instead of completing four years of high school opted for a GED. The
teachers and administration of the school did not default to having the student pursue
a GED. Rather, after countless effort and numerous strategies attempted with this
student it was determined that success for the student was receiving the basic skills
and exiting the school with a GED rather than a high school diploma.
125
Further challenging the notion of success, the school administrators that were
interviewed did not place the attainment of AYP at the forefront of the discussion
surrounding goal setting. It was not that they were ignoring the fact that AYP is a
non-negotiable accountability tool, instead it validates that success is multi-faceted
and multi-layered and included meeting AYP benchmarks. For some schools,
success might be defined as the school’s ability to achieve AYP each and every
school year. For other schools, it might be defined by the attainment of a high
school diploma. For the schools in this study, success is providing students with the
capability to thrive in the context of the current time while also being able to holdfast
to the valued and still relevant traditions and culture of Hawaii.
Contributing to this tension between charter schools and regular public
schools is the lack of preparation programs for charter school administrators. In this
study, none of the school administrators were in their position longer than three
years. While this study did not probe on the longevity of charter school
administrators, there are a few implications that can be drawn.
Charter school administrators arguably have a more difficult job than do
traditional public school principals. In addition to being the educational leader of the
school, charter school administrators are also responsible for an array of matters that
public school principals have little worry for. For instance, one of the occurring
challenges with charter schools is the lack of permanent facilities and/or sufficient
facility funding. Charter school administrators are tasked with ensuring that their
school has a facility to use and enough resources to maintain it. Charter school
126
administrators are also expected to have a good sense of financial management,
human resource management, familiarity with educational law and policies as well
as be an effective leader with the ability to make sound decisions for the betterment
of the school.
The ideal charter school leader would possess all of the aforementioned
characteristics, however the reality is that there is no program that can effectively
prepare an individual to run a charter school. Instead, charter school administrators
possess the right combination of most of the characteristics but more importantly are
motivated by their passion and belief in students and the school.
Recommendations for Future Research
The following are recommendations for additional research in the future:
• Expand this study to include a larger sample size of Hawaiian-focused
charter schools that have also demonstrated a rise in academic
achievement scores.
• Considering the small school size and lower per-pupil allocation from the
state, a comparable study should be conducted on the impacts that equal
funding would have on the achievement rate of Hawaiian-focused charter
school students.
• Further research is necessary on the impact that supplemental funding,
such as grants and Kamehameha Schools, has on resource allocation.
Since these additional funds are not guaranteed year-to-year, it could
127
heavily impact allocation and ultimately student achievement if school
administrators are not prepared.
• Further research is needed to examine how a non-traditional classroom
environment, like outdoor learning labs, project based learning, place-
based learning and culture-based learning compare to traditional
classrooms in terms of the EBM and resource allocation.
• Additional research is needed to compare the academic performance of
Hawaiian students who attend a Hawaiian-focused charter school and
Hawaiian students in a regular public school. Further, a comparison of
resource allocations at both types of schools could provide insight as to
how they attribute to student achievement, particularly for Hawaiian
students.
• Lastly, additional research is needed on how to effectively prepare charter
school leaders for budget and finance decision making that align to
student academic achievement.
Conclusion
Improving student performance sits at the center of educational policy and
federal mandates, common core standards, state standards have all become the
driving force of mainstream reform. Recognizing the continual disheartening
statistics of how Hawaiian descent students perform in comparison to their school
aged peers in public schools, Hawaiian communities around the state of Hawaii have
taken action and formed their own community-based, community-driven schools and
128
have taken it upon themselves to drive educational reform for Hawaiian students
within their communities and abroad. Acknowledging federal mandates, Hawaiian-
focused charter schools continue to pave the way of innovation in education by
employing a pedagogy that is deeply rooted in Hawaiian tradition and strives for
academic excellence in the 21
st
century.
This study highlights three such schools that live and breathe the dismal
educational and socio-economic statistics of their students. More importantly,
however, they are doing something to change that. This study illustrates that even in
the face of challenges, success is attainable so long as the resources, as limited as
they might be, are focused on increasing student performance. Although it is
unlikely that the State of Hawaii would ever fully-fund, or at least equally fund a
charter school, research-proven strategies like the Evidence-Based Model (Odden &
Picus, 2008) and 10 Strategies for Doubling Student Performance (Odden, 2009),
offers a framework that can guide and inform educational leaders and policy makers
to focus the allocation of resources in education to promote student achievement.

129
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APPENDIX A
OPEN-ENDED DATA COLLECTION PROTOCOL
SCHOOL SITES
Following are open-ended questions intended to capture each school’s strategies for
improving student performance. Ask the questions in the order that they appear on
this protocol. Record the principal’s answers as s/he gives them and focus on getting
the key elements of the instructional improvement effort with less emphasis on the
process aspect.

Tell me the story of how your school improved student performance.
A. What were the curriculum and instruction pieces of the strategy?
1. What has the content focus of your improvement process been? (E.g.
Reading, Math, Reading First, Math Helping Corps, etc.)

2. What curricula have you used during your instructional improvement effort?
(E.g. Open Court reading, Everyday Math, etc.)

• Is it aligned with state standards?
• How do you know it is aligned? (E.g. District recent review for
alignment)

3. What has been the instructional piece of your improvement effort?
• Does your staff have an agreed upon definition of effective teaching?
4. What is the instructional vision for your improvement effort? (E.g.
Connecticut standards or the Danielson Framework)

5. Have assessments been an integral part of your instructional improvement
process?

• If so, what types of assessments have been key? (E.g. formative,
diagnostic, summative)

• How often are those assessments utilized?
• What actions were taken with the results?
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6. What type of instructional implementation has taken place as a part of your
reform efforts? (E.g. Individualized instruction, differentiated instruction, 90
minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction)

• Were teachers trained in a specific instructional strategy?
• How did you know that the instructional strategies were being
implemented?

B. What were the resource pieces of the strategy? How long have the resources
been in place?
1. Early Childhood program: Is it half or full day? Number kids? Staffing
ratios? Eligibility?

2. Full Day Kindergarten
• If yes, how long have they had full day kindergarten?
3. Class Size Reduction
• Reduction Strategy (E.g. 15 all day long K-3 or reading only with 15)
4. Professional Development:
• When are the professional development days scheduled for? (E.g.
Summer Institutes, Inservice Days)

• What is the focus of the professional development?
• Do you have instructional coaches in schools? Were there enough
coaches? (Did they need more but couldn’t afford it?)

5. “Interventions” or Extra Help Strategies for Struggling Students:
• Tutoring: Specify 1:1, in small groups (2-4), or in medium groups (3-5)
• Extended day: How frequently (Number minutes & Number of times per
week), Academic focus, Who instructs (certified teachers or aides), Who
participates?

• Summer school: How Frequently? (Number hours a day, Number weeks),
Who instructs? (certified teachers or aides), Who participates?
138
• ELL
• Scheduling: (E.g. double periods in secondary schools)
6. Parent outreach or community involvement.
7. Technology.
C. Was the improvement effort top – down or bottom - up?
D. What type of instructional leadership was present?
E. Was there accountability built into this improvement plan? (E.g. School
Board report which helped solidify focus)
F. What additional resources would be needed to continue and expand your
efforts?

139
APPENDIX B
CASE STUDY 1: ALOHA ACADEMY
Background on the School
Aloha Academy is a K – 12 public charter school located in a rural
community on the northern side of Hawaii Island. Receiving its charter in 2000,
Aloha Academy enrolls approximately 220 students of which over eighty percent
(80%) self identify themselves as being of native Hawaiian descent. The three most
recent school years have seen slight increases of enrollment at the school. Figure
B.1 shows the growth between school year 2008/2009 and 2010/2011. Additionally,
fifty-six percent (56%) of their student population qualifies for the federal free and
reduced lunch program. Also, eight percent (8%) of the total school enrollment
qualifies as special education students (SPED) and the school does not have any
students classified as English Language Learners (ELL). Aloha Academy is one of
seventeen (17) Hawaiian-focused charter schools in the State of Hawaii that is
committed to excellence in education and is firmly rooted in Hawaiian culture.
Before becoming a charter school, Aloha Academy operated as a school-
within-a-school on the campus of a local intermediate and high school. Hawaii law
did not allow for start-up charter schools until 2000. Aloha Academy spurred from
the vision of a teacher and the collective effort of the community in which the school
resides. Year after year it was observed that students, particularly native Hawaiian
students, would continuously underperform in the core academic subjects and excel
in subjects with a Hawaiian culture focus. The school’s founding mission was to
140
have all of its stakeholders do extremely well by designing, implementing, and
evaluating a quality, culturally driven, family-oriented and community-based mode
of education.

Figure B.1. Aloha Academy enrollment

In an attempt to address the then increasing achievement gap between native
Hawaiian students and their school-aged counterparts, Aloha Academy founders
desired a school that integrated Hawaiian values and traditions, 21
st
century
educational outcomes, project-based learning, authentic assessments, performance-
based assessments and educational technology. By the time the legislature amended
the Hawaii charter school law to allow for start up schools, Aloha Academy had
already shown gains in learner outcomes such as decreased absences, increased
190
218
229
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
Enrollment
141
grade point averages, improvement on standardized tests as well as significant
improvements in both student and parent satisfaction.
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) recently
recognized the achievements of Aloha Academy when it granted the school a full
term, six-year accreditation. Of the other Hawaiian-focused Charter Schools in
Hawaii, Aloha Academy is the first to receive this validation.
The purpose of this case study is to examine the school’s decision
surrounding the allocation of resources, the execution of instructional strategies and
the extent to which, they both have increase student academic achievement. This
case study also seeks to observe how these decisions align to the school’s Detailed
Implementation Plan (DIP), the document in which ultimately established the school
and for which the charter was granted.
Test Results
For the past five years, Aloha Academy has experienced a respectable
increase in student reading proficiency as measured by the Adequate Yearly Progress
(AYP) report. As Figure B.2 displays below, in the 2006/2007 school year, only
forty-three percent (43%) of Aloha Academy’s students were proficient. In the
following year, fifty percent (50%) and the year after sixty percent (60%) were
proficient. School year 2009/2010 saw no change in proficiency, however in the
most recent report, sixty-two percent (62%) of the student population scored at or
above proficiency. Over the five-year span, Aloha Academy’s performance with
regard to reading grew by a total of nineteen percent (19%). Figure B.2 also includes
142
the individual performance of the Asian/Pacific Islander subgroup. As for the other
subgroups, there was insufficient amount of students for those groups, therefore no
score was reported. It is also of interest to note that it was not until school year
2009/2010 that the “disadvantaged” subgroup had a sufficient number of students
that the subgroup’s score was recorded in the report.

Figure B.2. Aloha Academy reading AYP (% of students proficient or above)

Likewise, Figure B.3 shows the growth in Aloha Academy’s math
proficiency rate over the span of the same five years. During those years, the
percentage of students at or above proficiency in math grew from twenty percent
(20%) to thirty-eight percent (38%), which is an increase of eighteen percent (18%).
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
All Students
Asian/Pacific Islander
Disadvantaged
Benchmark
143
As was the case with reading AYP, Asian/Pacific Islander was the only subgroup
with sufficient amount of students to be called out.

Figure B.3. Aloha Academy math AYP (% of students proficient or above)

Key Elements and Themes of the Instructional Improvement Process
The current school administrator has been at Aloha Academy since school
year 2004 – 2005. She first started as a school resource teacher who wore the hat of
testing coordinator, reading coordinator, reading coach and Title 1 coordinator.
Three years later, she took on the role of the K-5 vice principal, which only lasted for
one school year. Immediately thereafter, she became the vice principal for the entire
K-12 school. Upon the resignation of the previous school principal, who was also
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
All Students
Asia/Pacific Islander
(API)
Disadvantaged
Target
144
one of the school founder’s, she became the interim co-administrator until the Local
School Board approved and officially offered her the full-time position of co-
administrator.
In utilizing Odden’s (2009) Ten Strategies for Doubling Student Performance
as an organizing framework to study the degree of implementation of each strategy
and how it relates to improving student performance, it was made clear that the gains
experienced by Aloha Academy is in large part due to the creative nature of its
school leadership, particularly in a manner that best allocates the limited resources of
a Hawaiian-focused charter school.
Understanding the Performance Problem and Setting Ambitious Goals
Like many Hawaiian-focused charter schools (HFCS), Aloha Academy was
created to provide the community with an alternative option to public education.
The performance problem is one that is not necessarily isolated to Aloha Academy,
rather it is a shared problem that many, if not all, HFCS set out to address. That is,
students of Hawaiian ancestry are among the lowest achieving ethnic groups in the
State. Thus, schools like Aloha Academy, who attract and enroll a high percentage of
Hawaiian students seek to lessen the academic achievement gap by providing a
system of education whose foundation is built upon Hawaiian cultural values,
language and knowledge systems and deliver a quality education that provides
students with the necessary academic and social skills.
Although being a charter school grants a certain level of autonomy, these
schools are still held to the same accountability standards as other public schools. In
145
this era of No Child Left Behind and the urge to meet Adequate Yearly Progress
(AYP), the academic areas of reading and math continue to pose challenges for
HFCS, including Aloha Academy.
Amongst the short-term goals, like making AYP, Aloha Academy continues
to set its sights far beyond the current and next school year. It has always been a
goal of Aloha Academy to provide a multi-aged learning environment in which
student are learning together using Hawaiian language, culture and values to drive
what they are learning. Aloha Academy’s school administrator also expressed that
the school, while grounded and focused on providing a Hawaiian-culture based
education, strives to ensure that as students graduate from the school they do so with
the ability to walk and function in two worlds – Hawaiian and Western. That is,
Aloha Academy seeks to provide for its students a strong Hawaiian cultural
foundation, one from which they will be successful in any future endeavor they seek,
which in many instances require a firm grasp on 21
st
century skills and a well-
rounded academic skill set.
Creating an Instructional Vision & Implementing an Effective Curriculum
When discussing the curricular focus and instructional vision of Aloha
Academy with the school administrator, she made mention of multiple efforts and
was able to expand on a few.
The administrator identified that math and reading has been a big push in
curricular focus, largely due to the demands of NCLB. However, more recently
there has been a bigger push for teachers to develop curriculum that focus on math,
146
science and technology since there are numerous STEM grants that could provide the
school with additional financial resources. Also, math, science, and technology
nicely lend itself to the schools founding pedagogical values such as project-based
and placed-based curriculum grounded in Hawaiian culture.
When the school first turned its attention to increasing the reading score of its
students and have more making or exceeding proficiency, the school embarked on a
curricular effort that demonstrates the commitment of the school’s faculty to
improving student performance. A few years ago, the faculty and administrators
noticed that their students’ reading scores were not improving fast enough to keep up
with the increasing State AYP threshold. As a result, the faculty got together and
formed a literacy committee whose purpose was to look into a more systematic
reading program that is validated by research and could help improve student
performance.
What the teachers discovered was two reading programs, one called
Corrective Reading for Interventions for student in grade three through adulthood,
and Reading Mastery for students in elementary. These programs were the products
of the federal Reading Excellence Act (REA) that provided funding to the State of
Hawaii to establish a group that would help schools with a high Hawaiian population
improve their students’ reading scores.
The adoption of these reading programs required that teachers re-assess how
they were currently operating. One of the primary changes is that every teacher
became a reading teacher. The program would group students based on their ability
147
level and each teacher would work with their ability group daily for ninety minutes.
This meant that teachers would have to be willing to give up some of their assigned
students and take on new students during reading class.
Although successful for the most part, the reading program had its fair share
of challenges. In addition to teachers having to release their “home” students and
take one new students for the reading time, school leaders also had the challenge of
finding the enough resources to purchase materials and finding enough classroom
space for the breakout of ability groups. It also took some time to adequately train
the teachers to effectively implement the program.
The implementation of the reading program provided new strategies for
reading instruction and added to a teacher’s tool kit of knowledge. Currently,
teachers at Aloha Academy are not using the program to deliver reading instruction.
Instead, with the skills and knowledge they have gained over the years, the teachers
are now able to conduct reading workshops and teach reading through their project
areas, allowing for project-based learning to occur.
Commit to Formative Assessments and Data-Driven Decisions
Aloha Academy, like most public schools in Hawaii, employs the standard
array of assessments, like Hawaii State Assessment (HSA) and the North Western
Evaluation Association (NWEA). While the HSA is primarily used to measure
student performance against Hawaii State standards and benchmarks, NWEA is
being used to inform teachers of their students’ performance in a certain subject area
(either reading, math or science). Upon completion of the computer-based test,
148
teachers can immediately view his/her students’ scores and use it for grouping and
instruction in their classroom. NWEA also provides information on what skill sets
students have mastered and where they need improvement.
As the school administrator spoke on the topic of assessments and data, she
discussed how Aloha Academy, in its early days, faced many challenges as a new
school and that they may have not been best prepared for HSA testing. She had
expressed that the school’s first year scores were “terrible” and that it took some
time to train teachers on what the HSA test is all about. Moreover, the school
administrator shared that assessments, on the whole, has been a struggle for Aloha
Academy. As a charter school, they desire autonomy. For Aloha Academy,
autonomy means having the ability to determine how best to assess their own
students in a way that is meaningful and important for them, such as performance-
based assessments. At the same time, the school acknowledges that since it is a
school that receives federal monies they are obligated to implement the mandated
assessments.
Aloha Academy strongly believes in utilizing performance-based assessments
to evaluate its students. In addition to the mandated assessments, Aloha Academy
produces a hula drama at the end of each school year that incorporates what students
have learned over the course of the year. The manner in which the drama is
presented reflects Aloha Academy’s foundation in Hawaiian culture in that students
deliver their learning through songs, chants, and dances in a traditional style of hula.
149
Halfway through the year, the school does a similar hula drama, with the same
purpose, but through a more contemporary style of hula presentation.
In addition to these performance-based assessments, Aloha Academy
students also conduct two student lead conferences – one at the end of the first
quarter, the other at the end of the third quarter of the school year. Based on the
grade in which the student is in, it determines how much is actually student lead. For
middle through high school students, the students are the primary deliverers of the
conference, which is attended by teachers and parents. At the upper elementary
level, teachers help with the facilitation as the students share their electronic
portfolios. For students in Kindergarten and first grade, it is the more traditional
parent-teacher conference.
Effective Professional Development and Creating and Maintaining a
Collaborative Professional Culture
Professional development at Aloha Academy is both a formal and informal
practice. On Fridays the schedule is modified in that students are released at 12
noon, while teachers remain till 3:30 PM. That block of time is what is provided for
teachers and school administrators to schedule professional development activities as
well as faculty meetings.
Over the years, this dedicated block of time for professional practice, without
students, has changed depending on the needs of the school for that given year. In
one year, a rotation between teacher planning, committee meetings, and
administrative professional development was implemented. During the year when
150
the school was working on its accreditation application, majority of the time was
committed to that effort. This current school year, elementary teachers have asked
for refresher training for the everyday math program that they use. With many new
developments in the program, such as alignment to common core standards and new
teacher software, the administrators believe it would be well worth the training for
all elementary teachers.
With regard to a collaborative professional culture at Aloha Academy,
teachers are assigned to various committees/work groups based primarily on their
area of expertise. For example, the language arts team meets regularly to discuss
best practices and consistent teaching strategies for their students. These
committees/work groups not only take up discussion of topics related to their
discipline, but the school administrators would also provide topics such as,
successful classroom strategies and grading, for the committees to discuss and then
bring to the larger group to aide in bringing consistency and for sharing best
practices with all the faculty.
Utilizing Class Time Effectively & Multiple Interventions for Struggling
Students
Aloha Academy employs a project-based curriculum. Teachers teach in
teams throughout the various projects. As a result, the normal school day schedule
was altered to allow for focused instruction in reading. As discussed previously,
with the use of NWEA testing, teachers at Aloha Academy are able to use the result
to group their students based on their ability levels. From an instructional
151
perspective, teachers would be assigned a specific ability group to work with during
the dedicated time period of the day. For example, while focusing on reading and
math as well as adding in a Hawaiian language focus, teachers had agreed to a
morning rotation of these subjects before breaking out into project groups.
For students who are not up to par in their academics, Aloha Academy offers
multiple after-school assistance, depending on the grade level of the student. For
students in Kindergarten though grade 1, the program is called literacy enhancement
in which parents would sign their child up for. Student in grades 2 through 5 are
offered after school tutoring in math and reading. These tutoring sessions are taught
by two teachers, who also teach at the school. For students in middle through high
school, it’s a combination of study hall and tutoring. At this level, one-on-one
tutoring is available should that be what the student needs. Study hall and/or tutoring
can be voluntary for students however teachers also have the ability to mandate it for
struggling students.
Another supplemental intervention program that is being used by Aloha
Academy is called ALEKS or Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces,
which is an online tool that uses adaptive questioning to determine the skill and
knowledge level of the student. The school primarily uses this intervention as a math
supplemental program.
For reading, Aloha Academy utilizes another web-based program called
kidbiz for students in the elementary grades and Teenbiz for students at the
secondary school level. This program has multiple purposes as the various reading
152
material are science-based and social studies-based articles, which support the
integrated delivery of the different projects.
Distributive School Leadership & Utilizing External Expertise
When speaking about instructional leadership, Aloha Academy’s
administrator pointed out that each of the committees, such as language arts, math,
cultural/language committees, have an appointed lead teacher. The responsibility of
the lead teacher is to facilitate curriculum and instructional discussions among their
committees and/or as directed by the school administrator. Additionally, members of
Aloha Academy’s Local School Board (LSB) have an active role in the leadership of
the school, though not full time faculty members. For instance, a LSB member is the
lead for the academic committee. He meets with the school administrators on
regular basis to discuss the academics of the school.
Evaluation of Implementation of Odden’s (2009) Ten Strategies
Table B.1 highlights the observed degree of implementation of Odden’s
(2009) Ten strategies to doubling student performance. Also noted in the table are
additional strategies, other than Odden’s that were observed during the data
collection process/interview.

153
Table B.1
Aloha Academy Implementation of Odden’s 10 Steps for Doubling Student
Performance

Degree of
Implementation
Instructional
Strategies (Odden,
2009)
Strong
Average
Weak
Not
Observed
Notes
Understanding
Performance
Problem
√ The administrator did not speak specifically about
the overall achievement gap, or the low percentage
of proficient students on standardized testing.
However, she did emphasize that school faculty
made a commitment to a new reading program to
increase the number of students performing at or
above proficient
Set Ambitious
Goals
√ Evidence of short-term student performance
outcomes (increase proficiency, make AYP) and
long term outcomes (solid Hawaiian cultural
foundation with firm 21
st
century skills) evident, but
lacks specific numerical targets
Instructional vision
and effective
implementation of
curriculum
√ Utilize research driven reading program;
Assessments and
Data-driven
decisions
√ Use of both traditional and performance-based
assessments to evaluate student success
Effective
professional
development
√ Both formal and informal PD activities; no evidence
of PD planned out, as needed/requested
Professional and
collaborative
school culture
√ Dedicated weekly time (Fridays afternoons) set
aside for professional collaboration; topics vary
depending on needs of school (ie, accreditation) and
administrator driven; admin provides discussion
questions on successful classroom strategies and
other matters for small group discussion which is to
be taken to the larger group

154
Table B.1, continued

Degree of
Implementation
Instructional
Strategies (Odden,
2009)
Strong
Average
Weak
Not
Observed
Notes
Using class time
effectively
√ The implementation of the reading program cause
for a re-vamping of school schedule to allow for
ability grouping of students
Extra-help
strategies
√ Afterschool tutoring, in which teachers of the school
are offered the positions; use of various web-based
programs to help improve proficiency rates
Distributive school
leadership
√ Utilizes lead teachers to help facilitate teacher
committees and teams
External Expertise √ Administrator did not make mention of consultants
or other outside help
Other Strategies
Family and
community
Involvement
√ Hui Makua (PTA) conducts its own fundraisers and
allows staff to write proposal asking for funding to
do something that will benefit the students (ie. field
trips); supports student projects by providing start-
up funds for various fundraising activities.
Relationship with
non-profit agency
√ Non profit aides school in writing for and
administering grant monies; weekly meetings with
school administrators; completing necessary
reporting requirements for grants
Local School
Board (LSB)
√ Is committed to the success of the school; provides
oversight in areas of curriculum, governance, and
finance;

155
Comparison of School Resources to the Evidence-Based Model
Table B.2
School Profile Comparison: Aloha Academy and Evidence Based Model (EBM)
School
School Element
EBM Prototypical
School
Aloha
Academy
Aloha Academy-EBM
Comparison
School
Configuration
K – 5 K – 12 School includes middle
and high school as well
Enrollment 432 to 600
depending on
school level
229 203 fewer students
(53% of EBM)
Class Size K-3: 15
4-12: 25
K -3: 24.5
4 – 12: 14.6
K – 3: 9.5 more
students
4 – 12: 10.4 less than
EBM
Full Day
Kindergarten
Yes Yes Same
Number of Teacher
Work days
180+
10 days of PD
N/A N/A
Students with
Disability
12% 0 12% less than EBM
Students in poverty 50% 56% 6% more than EBM
(based on Free &
Reduced lunch count)
EL Students 10% 0 10% less than EBM
Minority Students 30% 0 30% less than EBM

156
Table B.3
Resource Comparison: Aloha Academy and Evidence Based Model (EBM) for
Adequate School Resources
School Element
EBM
Prototypical
School
EBM School with
Aloha Academy
Characteristics
(229)
Aloha
Academy
Aloha
Academy –
EBM
Comparison
Core Teachers 24 13 19 6 more than
EBM
Specialist
Teachers
20% more; 4.8 2.5 0 2.5 less than
EBM
Instructional
Facilitators/
mentors
2.2 1 0 1 less than
EBM
Tutors 1 for every 100
poverty student:
(2.16)
1.3 0 1.3 less than
EBM
Teachers for EL 1 for every 100:
(.43)
0 No EL students
Extended Day 1.8 1 0 FTE 1 less than
EBM
Summer School 1.8 1 0 FTE 1 less than
EBM
Learning
Disabled Student
3 1.5 1 FTE .5 less than
EBM
GATE Student $25/student $5,725 0 $5,725 less
than EBM
Substitutes 5% of all the
above
$0
(No
resources
allocated
for
substitutes)

157
Table B.3, continued
School
Element
EBM Prototypical
School
EBM School
with Aloha
Academy
Characteristics
(229)
Aloha
Academy
Aloha
Academy –
EBM
Comparison
Pupil Support 1 for every 100
poverty students
(2.16)
1.3 1 Counselor
1 SBBH
.7 more than
EBM
Non-
Instructional
aides
2 1 1 SSC Same
Librarian/
Media
Specialist
1 1 0 1 less than
EBM
Principal 1 1 2
(1 for gr. K-6;
1 for gr. 7-12)
1 more than
EBM
School site
secretary
2 1 1 SASA
2 Admin Asst.
2 more than
EBM
Professional
Development
Instructional
facilitators, planning
& prep time, 10
summer days; $100/
pupil for other PD
expenses (trainers,
conference, travel,
etc.)
$22,900 $35,000 $12,100 more
than EBM
Technology $250/ pupil $57,250 $50,000
($218/pupil)
$7,250 less
than EBM
Instructional
Materials
$140/ pupil $32,060 $232,000
($1,013/pupil)
$231,940
more than
EBM
Student
Activities
$200/pupil $45,800 0 $45,800 less
than EBM

158
Lessons Learned & Future Considerations
Although Aloha Academy has fallen short of meeting AYP targets in both
reading and math, they have made progress towards lessening the achievement gap
and improving overall student achievement. After closer examination of the
assessment results and overall school environment, the following items are
noteworthy:
• The implementation of a successful, research-based, reading program has
allowed Aloha Academy to keep pace with the increasing NCLB target.
• With accountability measures like AYP, Aloha Academy had to divert
from its core foundational programming, which focused heavily on
project-based, culture-based learning to a focus on reading (and math) to
prepare students for the annual HSA, which is a determinant factor of
AYP.
• The use of multiple forms of assessments, including performance-based
assessments, is an integral part of Aloha Academy. It allows students to
showcase and demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained in all areas of
their schooling, and not just the core academics. It is also a reflection of
Aloha Academy’s core foundational belief in Hawaiian culture-based
education.
• The implementation of ability groupings, coupled with extra-help
interventions provide for a supportive environment for learning. This is
reflected in the percent of students performing at proficiency or above
159
where the gap between all the students, API students, and disadvantaged
students fall within ten percent (10%) of each other.
• Additional support systems like the parent group, non-profit agency, and
LSB are unique features of a Hawaiian-focused charter school and are
crucial components to success for students.

160
APPENDIX C
CASE STUDY 2: KILAKILA ACADEMY
Background on the School
Kilakila Academy was established in 2000 first as a laboratory school of the
Hawaiian Language College at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Shortly thereafter,
in September 2001, Kilakila Academy was awarded a charter, which allowed for the
school to become one of thirty-one (31) start-up charter schools in Hawaii. It is also
one of seventeen (17) Hawaiian focused charter schools in the State that is
committed to excellence in education and is firmly root in Hawaiian culture. The
school has seen a significant growth in enrollment from 2009 until 2011 by
approximately 33%. Figure C.1 shows the growth over the three academic years,
with the largest increase of 23 students occurring between the 2009/2010 and
2010/2011 school years. As the only Hawaiian language immersion, Hawaiian-
focused charter school on the island of Oahu, students come from across complex
area of the school.
Being a small school, along with providing an environment and curriculum
that is grounded in Hawaiian language and culture, there are no English Language
Learners (ELL) and the students requiring special education needs are also at a
minimal one percent (1%). Kilakila Academy also enrolls self-reported ninety-five
percent (95%) of students who identify as being of native Hawaiian descent and
forty-three percent (43%) who qualify for free/reduced meals. Approximately
seventy-five percent (75%) of the teachers at Kilakila Academy are trained, certified,
161
and licensed through Kahuawaiola, a teacher preparation program for Hawaiian
immersion teachers at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Figure C.1. Kilakila Academy enrollment

The founders of Kilakila Academy had a vision for a school that would not
only teach through Hawaiian language and culture, but also play an active role in
imparting the importance of learning the history and cultural history of Hawaii from
the native perspective. A vision, mission and core guiding principles guide Kilakila
Academy in all of the operations of the school. It essentially guides the how and
why of the work going on at the schools. The goal is for all to uphold the values and
infuse them into everything that each individual does. Table C.1 identifies the four
(4) Ala Hoʻokele or g uid ing p rincip les.
102
113
136
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011
Enrollment
Enrollment
162
Table C.1
Nā Ala Hoʻok ele (Kilak ila Acad em y ’s Guiding Principles)
Principle Description
Ma o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻ i e ola ai nā
iwi kūpuna
The Hawaiian language is our foundation
that enables us to honor our ancestors and
perpetute our traditions
ʻ O ke Kumu Honua mauli Ola ka
pou hale o kākou
The principles of Kumu Honua Mauli Ola,
the Hawaiian Educational Philosophy,
form the support structure of our school
E lei ʻia ana nā ʻ ano aʻ o a pau i ka
lanakila ma o ka ʻike kino
All learning styles will be supported so
that our children will attain equitable
success
ʻ O nā ʻohana , ke kula, ke kaiaulu
nā kōkoʻokolu e kākoʻ o ai ka hale
Families, school and community are equal
partners of our success

As this case study seeks to examine the school’s decisions surrounding the
allocation of resources, the execution of instructional strategies and the extent to
which they both increase student academic achievement, it is important to
understand the perspective through which those decisions are made. The guiding
principles above provide a context as to the uniqueness of Kilakila Academy and a
glimpse into what the school values, which could impact various decision making.
Test Results
In the past five years, Kilakila Academy has experienced tremendous growth
in students who are reading at or above proficiency, as determined by the Hawaii
State Assessment (HSA) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). In school year
163
2006/2007, only forty-four percent (44%) of the students were able to read at or
above proficiency. A year later, the school witnessed a significant increase of eleven
percent (11%) to fifty-five percent (55%) at or above proficiency. School year
2008/2009 brought on a slight increase of 1%. In the most two recent school years,
sixty-one percent (61%) and sixty-eight percent (68%) of students were reading at or
above proficient respectively.
Figure C.2 displays the rise in reading scores at Kilakila Academy. It also
shows how the Asia/Pacific Islander group (API), of which native Hawaiians are a
part of, faired on the test. The API subgroup was not called out individually until
school year 2008/2009.

Figure C.2. Kilakila Academy reading AYP (% of students proficient or above)

40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
65%
70%
75%
All Students
Asia & Pacific Islanders
(API)
Target
164
Figure C.3 shows the growth of students meeting or exceeding math
proficiency benchmarks. During the same five school year span as reading, the math
proficiency rate grew from fifteen percent (15%) to twenty-seven percent (27%), for
a total of twelve percent (12%) increase. The API subgroup was the only group
large enough to be called out, beginning in school year 2008/2009.

Figure C.3. Kilakila Academy math AYP (% of students proficient or above)

Key Elements and Themes of the Instructional Improvement Process
Two school administrators responded to a series of quantitative and
qualitative questions regarding their school’s improvement plan and instructional
strategies. The director of the school has been with Kilakila Academy for eight
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
All Students
Asia & Pacfific
Islander (API)
Target
165
years, while the principal has been with the school for twelve. Although collectively
they have almost twenty years of experience with the school, their roles as school
administrators are still fairly new. Both of them became co-administrators in
January of 2011. Just prior to their promotion, they served as lead teachers and
instructional coaches. Their responses along with various school documents
provided qualitative and quantitative data for comparison with the Evidence Based
Model and told the story of how their school utilizes its resources toward
instructional and academic improvement.
Odden (2009) offers ten strategies for doubling student performance and they
are used in this case study to frame the discussion of Kilakila Academy’s strategies
used to raise student performance. These ten strategies are used for comparison
purposes and are not evaluative. Some strategies have been grouped together
because of their close similarities in implementation at Kilakila Academy.
Understanding the Performance Problem
As a Hawaiian-focused charter school (HFCS), Kilakila Academy was
established as a community response to address the educational needs of Hawaiian
students. The statistics remain similar today as they did when Kilakila Academy
first opened its doors. That is, students of Hawaiian ancestry underperform their
school-aged counterparts on standardized academic achievement tests. This makes
Hawaiian students one of the lowest achieving ethnic groups in the State. Kilakila
Academy exists today to provide both Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian families with an
educational choice. The manner in which the school delivers its program tends to
166
attract a higher percentage of Hawaiian students, making Hawaiian the dominant
ethnic group at the school.
At the school level, the urgency to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is
a constant driver in determining where and how to focus resources. The figures
above demonstrate where Kilakila Academy is performing in comparison to the AYP
targets.
The administrators shared that the focus of the curriculum over the past five
years was reading and thus the reading results show evidence of the gains.
Conversely, although reading proficiencies kept up with the rise in targets, math
proficiency remained significantly low, with minimal gains.
For Kilakila Academy, understanding the performance challenges and
measuring progress to those challenges is multi-faceted. The importance of making
AYP to avoid severe sanctions is just as important as lessening the overall academic
achievement gap between Hawaiian students and their school-aged counterparts.
Creating an Instructional Vision & Implementing an Effective Curriculum &
Setting Ambitious Goals
Approximately five years ago, Kilakila Academy was awarded a grant to
develop a staircase curriculum across the multiple disciplines. The idea was to spend
the first year of the grant developing a reading program, second year working on
math, the third year in science, and so forth. Both administrators acknowledged that
this ambitious work might have been a bit overconfident for the school, as at the time
they did not realize the amount of work it would take to produce this type of
167
curriculum. Shortly into this curricular project they realized that one year was not
enough time to develop the type of reading curriculum that the school need. It took
the school, administrators and faculty, four years to develop the reading component.
With much of the emphasis and focus on reading, the reading scores rose over time,
as noted above. The administrators credit the rise in reading proficiency to teachers
feeling more confident in teaching the content and utilizing different strategies.
Though the intent was not to neglect math, proficiency levels suggest that not
much attention was given. Therefore, the school currently is working on bringing
math proficiency levels up to meet the targets.
Prior to standardizing the school in a single math curriculum, teachers would
utilize different curriculum in the different classes. In efforts to increase student
achievement in math, the school has implemented Singapore Math across all the
classrooms with grades K – 8 utilizing the program and the high school using the
various strategies that the program employs. Singapore Math is in its second year at
Kilakila Academy and though there is not a major improvement on HSA, school
administrators are noticing growth primarily in the movement from students who are
well-below proficiency to the next level. The goal is that this trend will continue and
a higher percentage of student who are proficient or better in math will be reflected
in HSA scoring.
The administrators of Kilakila Academy also expressed that it is their
school’s desire for all of its graduating seniors to be prepared for post-secondary
education and for real world work experiences. In working towards this goal, the
168
school requires all of is eleventh graders to take the SAT twice during the year. To
support its students, the school provides SAT preparation classes and also pays for
both tests. For students who are eleventh and twelfth grade, Kilakila Academy offers
internships where their students are provided the opportunity with work experience
in different professional settings that may intereste them. The internship is a part of
the curriculum.
Although reading and math, as well as other core academic areas, are
important for students in their schooling, the learning goals of Kilakila Academy
challenge its students to go above pre-determined proficiency levels and strive for
excellence in all aspects of life. What sets Kilakila Academy apart from other public
schools in Hawaii is that embedded in the core academics of the school are strong
elements that reflect a Hawaiian cultural worldview. In doing so, Kilakila Academy
strives for student to attain academic achievement through the medium of Hawaiian
language and aspires to standards of excellence for respective learning environments.
The long-term outcome of Kilakila Academy is reflected in the school
guiding principles outlined above. Success, for Kilakila Academy, is multi-layer and
goes beyond day-to-day academic to include cultural integrity and identity while
achieving a harmonious relationship in the interconnected contexts of the family and
community – all of which to be conducted in a Hawaiian language environment.
With these long-term goals in mind, there are no pre-determined curricular
pieces that can be obtained from external vendors and implemented at the school.
Instead, Kilakila Academy implements an educational framework that seeks to
169
address both the core academics while immersing its students in a Hawaiian
language and cultural environment.
Commit to Formative Assessments and Data-Driven Decisions
Kilakila Academy utilizes an array of student assessments to measure student
growth and progress. Among them is the Hawaii State Assessment (HSA), which is
taken by students up to three times each year. This is the same assessment used to
identify proficiency for the purposes of meeting AYP. Also, School Rise, at the end
of each data collection from the HSA testing, a gallery walk would take place so that
teachers can share their data with each other.
Another form of assessment used is the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI),
which is an English based reading assessment. There is also a Hawaiian language
comprehension test that is given to students twice a year to measure performance and
growth in the Hawaiian language.
In Math, Kilakila Academy utilizes Assessment and Learning in Knowledge
Spaces (ALEKS) as a math supplement. This web-based program can either be
aligned to Singapore Math or Hawaii Content Performance Standards (HCPS). The
school has chosen to align the program, along with its assessments, to HCPS.
The elementary teachers also utilize student portfolios as a way to track
student progress across the grades. For the intermediate through high school grades,
it is much less consistent and only a few teachers employ the use of student
portfolios. There are efforts, however, to standardize the use so that the school will
have the ability to track their students across the grade levels.
170
Effective Professional Development
When speaking about professional development, the school administrators
had given credit to their predecessor who was exceptionally good at finding the
funding necessary to fill gap areas identified by staff. Although the year the grant
was awarded nor the length of the grant was discussed, it was shared that the
previous school administrator was able to secure $1.23 million just for professional
development. In addition, the school still qualified for the various federal funding
opportunities like Tile I, Title II and Title II-A. Access to these resources provided
Kilakila Academy to support its teachers in tuition assistance to degree completion,
becoming a highly qualified teacher (HQT), as well as attend various conferences
and school visit both in Hawaii and abroad to improve the practice of teaching at the
school. The opportunity for professional development at Kilakila Academy is surely
an advantage, as expressed by the administrators. Unfortunately, some of their
teachers may not realize the enormous opportunity provided for them.
As for on-site professional development, School Rise, an educational
consultant agency that works with schools to improve student achievement through
standards, provides resource teachers who conduct classroom observations as well as
model teaching in the classrooms. This begins a cycle of meet, discuss, teach, meet,
and so forth allowing the teacher to continuously improve practice while still
teaching in the classroom.
171
Creating and Maintaining a Collaborative Professional Culture
At Kilakila Academy, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) may not
be a formalized thing, but the ideas and practices of a collaborative learning
environment do exist. In many instances discussions surrounding students,
professional practice, data, and new strategies are taking place at the various grade
levels. In years past, dedicated days throughout the school year were set aside to
allow teachers and staff to improve on their Hawaiian language skills. A professor
of Hawaiian language would come to the school to work on new vocabulary and
strengthen sentence pattern usage for the classroom. The current school year,
Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to these discussions, but are also shared with
various meetings that may not necessarily impact professional practice directly. For
instance the first Wednesday is used for school-wide staff/faculty meeting, the next
is used for grade level meetings, followed by professional development, and then
accreditation. As the school is currently preparing for accreditation, that tends to
take up a lot of the time allotted for professional practice.
Also taking place at Kilakila Academy are gallery walks. This is when
teachers spend dedicated time with each other sharing their student data and
strategies and receiving feedback from their colleagues. However, the administrators
shared that in some instances, their teachers lack to view the resourcefulness and
expertise of their colleagues and sometimes even on themselves. In the classroom
they might be strong, but when it comes time to share the happenings inside of their
classroom with other teachers, they stop back. Ultimately the school wide goal is to
172
have the teachers function comfortably in a professional environment that
encourages and support collaborative efforts of the collective.
This year, parents are being invited to attend the gallery walks with the intent
to strengthen the collective versus the individual. In this manner, parents are
becoming a part of the collaborative discussion whereby the goal is to help the entire
class address gap/weakness areas.
Utilizing Class Time Effectively
Since Kilakila Academy is a small school that spans grades K through 12, all
of the grade level classes are grouped with another, with the exception of
Kindergarten. The breakout is as follows: Kindergarten, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10,
and 11-12. One of Kilakila Academy’s elements in their educational framework is
that of multi-aged grouping. The school believes that in this type of learning
environment, the community of multi-aged learners addresses the diversity of
learners’ ability and personality. Also, there are numerous opportunities for the
students to interact and work cooperatively in small groups and individually.
Given that Kilakila Academy is a K-12 school, there are two different bell
schedules, one for elementary, the other for high school. As shown in Table C.2 and
C.3, the elementary school has its first two blocks of time dedicated to reading and
math. The high school bell schedule is a bit more complicated in that on Mondays,
each student has all of his or her classes. On the remaining days of the week, their
schedules are blocked out and students only attend some of their classes, which
allow for increased classroom time for the various subjects.
173
Table C.2
Elementary School Bell Schedule
Hour Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
7:15-8:30 Opening Protocol
8:30-9:30 Reading Groups/Language Arts (K-4)
English (5-6)
9:30-9:50 Recess
9:50-11:10
(K-2)
9:50-11:20
(3-6)
Math (Singapore Math)
11:15-
11:45 (K-2)
11:3-12:00
(3-6)
Lunch
11:45/12:00
– 1:00
Science/Social Studies/Art
(K-6)
Reading Groups –
Language Arts (5-6)
12:30-1:00
Culture
12:55 – 1:00
Closing
Science/Social
Studies/Art (K-6)
Reading Groups –
Language Arts (5-6)
1:00-2:00 Science/Social Studies/Art
(K-6)
1:00 – 1:40:
Teacher prep
Science/Social
Studies/Art (K-6)
2:15 - Piko Reading Groups –
Language Arts (5-6)
Staff Meeting Reading Groups –
Language Arts (5-6)
2:15-3:00 Teacher Prep Staff Meeting Teacher Prep

174
Table C.3
Middle and High School Bell Schedule
Time
(Monday
Only)
Monday
(All
Classes)
Tuesday
(Odds)
Wednesday
(Evens)
Thursday
(Odds)
Friday
(Evens)
Time
(Tues-Fri)
8:15 –
9:05 (50)
Class 1 Class 1 Class 2 Class 1 Class 2 8:15-9:35
(80)
9:05-9:45
(40)
Class 2 Break Break Break Break 9:35-9:45
(10)
9:45-9:45
(10)
Break Class 3 Class 4 Class 3 Class 4 9:45 –
10:55 (70)
9:55-10:40
(45)
Class 3 Class 5 Class 6 Class 5 Class 6 10:55-
12:05 (70)
10:40-
11:20 (40)
Class 4 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch 12:05-
12:45 (40)
11:20-
12:00 (40)
Class 5 Class 7 1:00 –
Closing
Class 7 Special Class
(Mastery
class, study
hall, student
government)
12:45-2:05
(80)
Fri: 12:45-
1:20 (45)
12:00-
12:40 (40)
Lunch 2:05-2:15
- Closing
1:40 –
Teacher
Meeting
2:05-2:15
- Closing
2:05-2:15 -
Closing
Fri: 1:30-
2:05 (35)
12:40-1:20
(40)
Class 6
1:20-2:05
(45)
Class 7
2:05-2:15
(10)
Closing

175
For the middle and high school, this is the first year that the above bell
schedule is being implemented. In previous years, the Monday schedule noted above
was utilized. Last school year in particular, each school day ended at 3:00PM in an
effort to extend the school day. The administrators shared that the bell schedule was
limiting for instructional time, as the longest class was only forty-five (45) minutes.
The shift to the current schedule increases instructional time in the class, which
allows teachers to really get into the content area.
Multiple Interventions for Struggling Students
When the topic of interventions for students came up, the school
administrators shared that the school does offer free after school tutoring due to its
eligibility for Title I funding. Surprisingly, however, not a lot of families took
advantage of the free service. The tutors are sometimes the regular schoolteachers.
Last year, a grant was able to pay for a teacher to stay after school to tutor.
Currently, the school administrators are exploring ways to have the school’s full time
EAs become the afterschool tutors.
With regards to summer school, Kilakila Academy does not offer a summer
school program, however, there are required summer tutoring sessions. A Hawaiian
language tutoring session is required for all incoming new students. This occurs at
least three times a week for two to four hours. This provides students who are new
to a Hawaiian language-learning environment the opportunity to learn and become
adjusted prior to the school year starting. This effort continues in the school year, for
at least one of the teachers, because it eases the classroom environment. Likewise,
176
all new students to Singapore Math are highly encourage or required to attend
training-like sessions during the summer. Due to Singapore Math’s unique style and
method of delivery, if students are not up to speed when the school year begins, they
could fall further behind.
On a case-by-case and rare situation, Kilakila Academy has offered a credit
recovery session during the summer for students who needed it.
Distributive School Leadership
The strategy of distributing school leadership was not observed during the
data collection process. However, it is important to note that prior to the two current
administrators being promoted, they both served as lead teachers with vice-principle
like duties for the K-6 campus and 7-12 campus individually. In their current
capacities as school administrators, they still provide similar oversight on the day-to-
day operations of their respective groups.
Utilizing External Expertise
The use of external expertise was evident in that resource teachers from
School Rise, an educational consultant group, was brought in to assist in the
observation and feedback with teachers. They would model teach a class, observe a
teacher teaching the class, meet and discuss with the teacher and repeat the cycle
throughout the year.
Another external resource that has been utilized is a core math resource
teacher who also observes and provides different teaching strategies to math
teachers.
177
Being a Hawaiian language immersion school, Kilakila Academy, at least in
previous years, would have a Hawaiian language professor from the University of
Hawaii at Manoa come to the school and conduct observation and provide feedback
on teachers’ use of Hawaiian language in a classroom setting.
Evaluation of Implementation of Odden’s (2009) Ten Strategies
Table C.4 highlights the observed degree of implementation of Odden’s
(2009) Ten strategies to doubling student performance. Also noted in the table are
additional strategies, other than Odden’s that were observed during the data
collection process/interview.

178
Table C.4
Kilakila Academy's Implementation of Odden’s 10 Steps for Doubling Student
Performance
Degree of Implementation
Instructional
Strategies
(Odden, 2009)
Strong
Average
Weak
Not
Observed
Notes
Understanding
Performance
Problem
√ The administrators did not speak specific to the
overall achievement gap, or the low percentage of
proficient students on standardized testing.
However, having a strong curricular focus on
reading and then math demonstrate an understanding
of the need to improve on AYP
Set Ambitious
Goals
√ Both short and long term goals are evident, but lacks
specific targets. In the short term, the need to
improve math score so as to make AYP.
For long term (taking place over time) it’s about
preparing students for post-secondary education,
academic achievement in a Hawaiian medium
setting, and instilling in students a sense of
Hawaiian well being while achieving excellence in
the classroom.
Instructional
vision and
effective
implementatio
n of curriculum
√ Received grant to develop staircase curriculum
across the grades, ended up being focused on
reading. Singapore Math being utilized to improve
math scores. Uniquely has an instructional vision of
a bi-lingual education (Hawaiian and English)
Assessments
and Data-
driven
decisions
√ Utilizes standard HSA testing, School Rise
assessments, Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI),
student portfolios, ALEKS. Teachers have gallery
walks to share student performance results and
discuss strategies. However, not directly connected
to learning interventions
Effective
professional
development
√ Was able to secure a total of $1.23 Million, in
addition to federal monies for professional
development. Funds used to get teachers HQT, pay
for college courses for teachers, attend both local
and abroad conferences.

179
Table C.4, continued

Degree of
Implementation
Instructional
Strategies
(Odden, 2009)
Strong
Average
Weak
Not
Observed
Notes
Professional
and
collaborative
school culture
√ Gallery walks, set staff meetings to discuss teaching
practice as well as other school business
Using class
time
effectively
√ Math and Reading block at start of the day for
elementary school. Changed bell schedule in the
high school to allow for more instructional time in
the classroom
Extra-help
strategies
√ Some tutoring. Setting mandatory training/tutoring
sessions for new students to allow them to adjust to
a Hawaiian language environment and learn
different programs, like Singapore Math
Distributive
school
leadership
√ Not observed.
External
Expertise
√ External teacher resource and Hawaiian language
resource used to improve practice
Other
Strategies

Family and
community
Involvement
√ Sweat equity from families is a major contribution
to various school initiatives including conferences,
fundraisers and workshops. Community came
together to help build playground on school’s new
campus
Relationship
with non-profit
agency
√ Works in partnership with LSB in the planning and
implementation of school’s strategic plan.
Local School
Board (LSB)
√ Provided training for volunteer LSB members on
their duties, continuous participation in long-range
(25 years) strategic planning and implementation,
attends yearly retreats to identify goals and
objectives for upcoming school year

180
Comparison of School Resources to the Evidence-Based Model
Table C.5
School Profile Comparison: Kilakila Academy and Evidence Based Model (EBM)
School
School Element
EBM Prototypical
School Kilakila Academy
KilakilaAcademy-
EBM Comparison
School
Configuration
K – 5 K-12
Enrollment 432 128 Approx. 30% of
EBM prototypical
School
B K-3: 15
4-5: 25
K: 24
1-2: 32
3-4: 20
5-6: 21
7-8: 14
9-10: 11
11-12: 6

Full Day
Kindergarten
Yes Yes same
Number of Teacher
Work days
180+
10 days of PD
183, (includes 1
Planning and
Collaboration Day, 7.5
Directed Leave Without
Pay Days)
3 more days than
EBM; 10 day less
recommended PD
Students with
Disability
12% 0 12% less than
EBM
Students in poverty 50% 43% 7% less than EBM
EL Students 10% 0 10% less than
EBM
Minority Students 30% 0 30% less than
EBM

181
Table C.6
Resource Comparison: Kilakila Academy and Evidence Based Model (EBM) for
Adequate School Resources
School Element EBM Prototypical School
EBM School with
Kilakila Academy
Characteristics (128)
Kilakila
Academy
Kilakila Academy –
EBM Comparison
Core Teachers 24 7.2 FTE 10 FTE 2.8 more than EBM
Specialist Teachers 20% more; 4.8 1.44 FTE 0 FTE 1.4 less than EBM
Instructional
Facilitators/mentors
2.2 1 FTE 0 FTE 1 less than EBM
Tutors 1 for every 100 poverty
student: (2.16)
.55 FTE 0 FTE .55 less than EBM
Teachers for EL 1 for every 100: (.43) 1.3 FTE 0 FTE 1.3 less than EBM
Extended Day 1.8 .45 FTE 0 FTE .45 less than EBM
Summer School 1.8 .45 FTE 0 FTE .45 less than EBM
Learning Disabled
Student
3 .88 FTE 0 FTE .88 less than EBM
GATE Student $25/student $3,200 $0 $3,200 less than EBM
Substitutes 5% of all the above $0 (No
resources
allocated for
substitutes)

Pupil Support 1 for every 100 poverty
students? (2.16)
.55 FTE 0 FTE .55 less than EBM
Non-Instructional
aides
2 .6 FTE 0 FTE .6 less than EBM
Librarian/Media
Specialist
1 1 FTE 0 FTE 1 less than EBM
Principal 1 1 1 Principal, 1
Director
1 more than EBM
School site
secretary
2 1 secretary
1 clerical
1 secretary 1 less than EBM
Professional
Development
Instructional facilitators,
planning & prep time, 10
summer days; $100/ puile for
other PD expenses (trainers,
conference, travel, etc.)
$12,800 Information not
provided

Technology $250/ pupil $32,000 Info not
provided

Instructional
Materials
$140/ pupil $17,920 Info not
provided

Student Activities $200/pupil $25,600 Info not
provided

182
Lessons Learned & Future Considerations
Although Aloha Academy has fallen short of meeting AYP targets in both
reading and math, they have made progress towards lessening the achievement gap
and improving overall student achievement. After closer examination of the
assessment results and overall school environment, the following items are
noteworthy:
• Grant monies in an earlier year allowed the school to develop staircase
curriculum in reading. With the entire school focused on reading
improvement, reading proficiency increased.
• Teachers teaching math would do so in their own manner resulting in
multiple math curriculum at the school. The move to Singapore Math is a
school-wide effort to standardize the teaching of math.
• The school administrators are committed to building a strong culture of
professional practice and data-driven decision-making. After each HSA
testing, teachers participate in a gallery walk whereby they can share their
successes and challenges along with teaching and classroom strategies.
• Under a previous school director, the school was awarded a $1.23 million
grant for professional development. PD activities included, college
courses, acquiring highly qualified teacher (HQT) status, and conference
attendance, as well as other activities.

183
APPENDIX D
CASE STUDY 3: NAAUAO ACADEMY
Background on the School
Naauao Academy is one of seventeen (17) Hawaiian-focused charter schools
(HFCS) located in urban Honolulu. It first opened it doors in 2001 on the campus of
the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Center for Hawaiian Studies. After relocating
three times since opening, the school has found a long-term home site in Makiki.
The site allows for the school to take root and establish long-term relationships with
its surrounding communities and provide a choice to public education in the heart of
the Honolulu metropolis. As a HFCS, Naauao Academy services students in grades 6
through 12 and offers a pedagogy that is academically rigorous, culturally grounded
and community-based and controlled – characteristics of most, if not all, HFCS.
Enrollment data of Naauao Academy was available for the past five school
years. Figure D.1 displays starting enrollment numbers by school year. Each year,
the school experiences attrition by an average of ten (10) students for varying
reasons, including dismissal for violating school policies. School year 2008/2009
experienced spike in enrollment as the school was hoping to increase its student
population. Shortly after, Naauao Academy realized that an enrollment as high as
120 plus students over exceeded that maximum capacity of the school in its current
location. For that reason, coupled with issues concerning staff morale and turnover,
caused significant drops in enrollment in the subsequent two school years. In the
current school year, the enrollment has slightly grown to eighty-two (82) students.
184

Figure D.1. Naauao Academy enrollment

As a small HFCS, Naauao Academy does not have any English Language
Learners. However, the school does service a high-need population in that twenty-
three percent (23%) of the students are considered SPED and sixty-five percent
(65%) are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Naauao Academy also enrolls a self-
reported ninety percent (90%) of students who identify as being of Hawaiian descent.
The intent and purpose of Naauao academy is to provide a quality alternative
to the current public and private school system in Hawaii, specifically targeting
Honolulu’s Hawaiian communities. The assumption is that by creating innovative
and culturally driven educational methods, it could lead to increase student
performance. Naauao Academy’s educational framework is guided by and deeply
85
129
100
66
82
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Enrollment
Enrollment
185
rooted in Hawaiian culture, values, language, and epistemology. The mission of the
school is express in three words, Hookumu, Hookele, and Hoomana. Table D.1
below articulated the school’s mission, as discussed by the head-of-school.

Table D.1
Naauao Academy’s Mission
Concept Description
Hookumu
(Grounding and
Foundation)
Provide a student with a firm foundation in his or her history,
regardless of being Hawaiian descent or not. Specifically,
grounding a student in the ancestral know ledges and practices
and the academic skills necessary for the 21
st
century.
Hookele
(Direction and
Connections)
Enable students to chart a course. This concept speaks to
teaching a student to prepare and set goals and to look at and
beyond the horizon of possibilities. In a responsible manner,
navigate the path to that goal.
Hoomana
(Nourishment and
Empowerment)
Express the Hawaiian thought of education as something that
is circular. Upon learning and mastery, go out and practice
and apply what was learned.

As this case study seeks to examine the school’s decisions surrounding the
allocation of resources, the execution of instructional strategies and the extent to
which they both increase student academic achievement, it is important to
understand the perspective through which those decisions are made. The school’s
mission above provide a context as to the uniqueness of Naauao Academy and a
glimpse into what the school values, which could impact various decision making.
186
Test Results
In the past five school years, Naauao Academy has demonstrated significant
improvement in reading as indicated by Hawaii AYP proficiency rates and measured
by the Hawaii State Assessment (HSA). As shown in Figure D.2 below, forty-four
percent (44%) of students were proficient or above in 2006/2007. The next school
year, the percentage grew by two points to forty-six percent (46%). In 2008/2009
fifty-four percent (54%) were at proficiency or above and in 2009/2010, fifty-nine
percent (59%) met or exceeded proficiency. The most recent figures show that sixty-
two percent (62%) of students are reading at proficiency or above. Growth over the
five years totaled twenty-one percent (21%).

Figure D.2. Naauao Academy reading AYP (% of students proficient or above)

30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
65%
70%
75%
Target
Reading
187
With regard to student performance in math, the growth was modest, totaling
only nine percent (9%) over a span of five school years. In 2006/2007 fourteen
percent (14%) of students met or exceeded the target for that year. The subsequent
two school years, the school experienced a drop in the proficiency level to nine
percent (9%) and six percent (6%) respectively. From that point, the school is
slowly working on raising proficiency levels in math. In school year 2009/2010 and
2010/2011, math proficiency increased to sixteen percent (16%) and twenty-three
percent (23%) respectively. Figure D.3 below displays this.

Figure D.3. Naauao Academy math AYP (% of students proficient or above)

0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011
Target
Math
188
Key Elements and Themes of the Instructional Improvement Process
The school administrator of Naauao Academy is in her first year as head-of-
school and her second year total in working at the school. Last school year, she was
the principal of the school and was the person responsible for all academic aspects
that included curriculum and instructional leadership. In response to having smaller
enrollment numbers the Local School Board, who is responsible for policy and
governance oversight of the school, decided upon a restructuring of the
administrative staff. This meant that the position of Executive Director and Principal
would become one position and called head-of-school. Having applied for the
position and going through the selection process, the current administrator was
offered the position at the start of the school year. This allowed for many of the
improvement initiatives that were started last year to continue on through the current
year. Her responses along with various school documents provided qualitative and
quantitative data for comparison with the Evidence Based Model and told the story
of how their school utilizes its resources toward instructional and academic
improvement.
Odden (2009) offers ten strategies for doubling student performance and they
are used in this case study to frame the discussion of Naauao Academy’s strategies
used to raise student performance. These ten strategies are used for comparison
purposes and are not evaluative. Some strategies have been grouped together
because of their close similarities in their implementation at the school.
189
Understanding the Performance Problem and Setting Ambitious Goals
Naauao Academy opened its doors in urban Honolulu to address the
persistent trend of ethnic Hawaiian students under-performing their school-aged
counterparts on standardized tests. Building upon a foundation of Hawaiian culture,
tradition, and epistemology, and an integration of rigorous academics, Naauao
Academy seeks to provide a learning environment that is student-centered. With a
purposeful curricular and instructional design, Naauao Academy attracts a high
percentage of Hawaiian students. In doing so, it allows the school to implement its
unique strategies to lessen the achievement gap and increase the academic
performance of Hawaiian students so that they can stand par with their school-aged
counterparts.
As a HFCS, Naauao Academy is granted the autonomy to deliver innovated
and Hawaiian-culture based academics in a manner that the school see fit. In return
for this autonomy, however, Naauao Academy is held to high accountability
standards. Failure to achieve academic outcomes could result in loss of the school
charter. Given that HFCS are public schools that also receive public funding, the
primary measure of academics and accountability is the school’s ability to meet
adequate yearly progress (AYP).
For Naauao Academy, the school has failed to meet AYP for six consecutive
years and consequently is sanctioned as a school in restructuring. Although AYP
takes into consideration other factors in addition to reading and math, the figures
above display how Naauao Academy has performed in comparison to AYP targets.
190
As shown, there exist a gap between AYP targets and percentage of students
proficient or better in both reading and math. The head-of-school shared that there is
a collective effort by the faculty to come out of restructuring. To further understand
her school’s specific performance and gap area, the school administrators had met
with the Hawaii Department of Education Accountability office regarding her
school’s performance on the HSA.
In addition to moving out of restructuring status, Naauao Academy has set its
sights on improving Hawaiian language education as well as preparing their students
for college. These areas have been identified as high priority, though targets were
not mentioned of during the data collection
Creating an Instructional Vision & Implementing an Effective Curriculum
With the identified priority areas of increasing reading and math scores,
increase Hawaiian language education, and ensuring students are college ready, the
head-of-school discussed the instructional vision and shared changes to the
curriculum to focus on those areas. First, the school faculty implemented a school-
wide reading program whereby the first period on Fridays is strictly dedicated to
reading. Students break into small reading groups and read books that are of interest
to them. The faculty had surveyed the students to get an idea on what kinds of books
their students were interested in and then purchased these books. The purpose of this
program is to cultivate an interest in reading as well as encourage more
conversations around literature. In addition, the school schedule was changed to
191
allow increased time spent on reading and math. Details of any curricular changes or
adoption of a prescribed reading program was not shared.
Another change that took place was student groupings. Instead of being
group by grade level, for the purposes of math and reading, students are now
grouped by ability. This allows for teachers to address gap areas that are specific to
a particular ability group. Not only was this done to assist students who need the
additional help, but it also helped to identify students who may be ready to move on
to the next level. In math, three students demonstrated that they were ready for a
trigonometry and calculus level class. Not having enough resources to bring on a
teacher for the three students, the head-of-school was able to acquire an online class
for the students which would allow them to learn at their level while still earn the
necessary credits for school.
The head-of-school also made it a point to ensure that all of the math and
language arts teachers obtained a “highly qualified teacher” (HQT) status in
accordance with NCLB.
Commit to Formative Assessments and Data-Driven Decisions
Like other public schools in Hawaii, Naauao Academy utilizes the Hawaii
State Assessment (HSA) as tool to gather data on student progress. Students are
allowed to take the assessment up to three times per school year. In addition to
HSA, the school also utilizes the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA) to
measure student progress in reading. The data collected from these two assessments
tools help group the students by ability level, as discussed above.
192
The school also employs an array of smaller, formative assessment tools and
strategies to track their students and ensure they are progressing appropriately. One
reading tool in particular is a reading portfolio, which demonstrates a student’s
ability to identify different literary concepts in different reading pieces. For math,
teachers use “exit slips” as a way to formatively assess student progress in the
classroom.
As a school, each student is also responsible to maintain a learning results
portfolio. This portfolio is a collection of a student’s work and their identification
and reflection on the various benchmarks and standards they have mastered in each
quarter. These portfolios are reviewed twice a quarter, mid and end, and teachers
made determinations based off the evidences in the portfolio of whether the student
is being challenged enough or is under challenged and is able to adjust accordingly.
Effective Professional Development, Creating and Maintaining a Collaborative
Professional Culture and Distributive School Leadership
With very limited resources allocated for professional development, the head-
of-school makes every effort to utilize her network of resources to deliver
professional development activities for the faculty. The network includes members
from the Local School Board and community partners. The strategy in determining
what kinds of professional development activities are necessary is directly related to
the school’s current needs and high priority areas. Since the school is currently in
the process of seeking accreditation, much of the activities have surrounded that
effort and preparing for the various requirements. Also, as the school aligns itself to
193
focus on outcomes and accountability, a professional development activity involved
accountability planning that tied directly to identifying student outcomes. In the
current school year, there has not been any professional development activity that
was content focused.
Although individual and collective professional development of the faculty
and staff are minimal, the head-of-school discussed different instances of faculty and
staff functioning with high collaborative professional culture. One instance had to
do with a collective commitment to improving student performance and removing
the re-structuring status from the school. Rather than the effort being delivered as a
top-down initiative, the school’s leadership team presented the faculty and staff with
the statistics and data that outlined the current situations. The strengths and
improvements of the students were highlighted while the gap areas were identified.
Given that information, the question, “What do we do?” was posed to the faculty and
staff. The entire school community came to an agreement that their efforts will be
focused on raising student outcomes to a level that meets and exceeds proficiency
thereby improving the school’s NCLB status.
In an effort to best utilize the talents of her staff, the head-of-school created
teaching teams that work on the different projects for the school. The teams also
lead conversations on various topics as well as facilitate faculty meetings.
Informally, a team of teachers gets together on Wednesdays to discuss literature and
different reading strategies that have or have not worked in the classroom. In
conjunction with two other HFCS, Naauao Academy bring the collective effort from
194
each school and is developing a student leadership program that would include
student exchanges between the schools.
With a focus on improving math-teaching strategies, math teachers get
together often and have formed a partnership with the University of Hawaii at Manoa
math department. The purpose of this is to brainstorm and discuss different math
teaching strategies.
Utilizing Class Time Effectively
Although a bell schedule was not made available during data collection, the
head-of-school discussed that as part of the academic planning for the year, which
set the goal of moving out of restructuring, the bell schedule was altered to allow for
an increased math and language arts time. It is not clear how much time is exactly
provided for these two subject areas.
To maximize learning time, the head-of-school decided to break out the
reading and math classes by the students’ ability level, rather than merely their grade
level, and placed the student with the correct skill level. What this allowed for is for
teacher’s to adjust the curriculum appropriately for a specific ability group.
Multiple Interventions for Struggling Students
Naauao Academy employs a few interventions to assists students who might
be struggling to keep up in the classroom. The first intervention is a mandatory
study hall for students who are falling behind. Teachers will require their students to
attend study hall after school where the student will receive additional instruction in
the content area.
195
As a math intervention strategy, the school uses a program called “I Pass
Math” which is an online tutoring program that also assesses a student’s progress.
Utilizing External Expertise
The head-of-school explained that with a focus on preparing students to be
college ready, she is interested in bringing on an SAT coach to work with the high
school students prepare and acquire test taking strategies.
Also, the head-of-school asks outside expertise to come to the school to
conduct classroom observations of the teachers delivering instruction. By doing this,
it provides an opportunity for teachers to receive feedback on their instructional
delivery and make necessary improvements.
Evaluation of Implementation of Odden’s (2009) Ten Strategies
Table D.2 highlights the observed degree of implementation of Odden’s
(2009) Ten strategies to doubling student performance. Also noted in the table are
additional strategies, other than Odden’s that were observed during the data
collection process/interview.

196
Table D.2
Naauao Academy's Implementation of Odden’s 10 Steps for Doubling Student
Performance
Degree of
Implementation

Instructional
Strategies
(Odden, 2009)
Strong
Average
Weak
Not
Observed
Notes
Understanding
Performance
Problem
√ The head-of-school did not speak specific to
the overall achievement gap, or the low
percentage of proficient students on
standardized testing. However she did speak
specifically about the need to come out of
restructuring school status, as well as sought
to understand how AYP was measured and
determine how many students did in fact fall
short of specific targets.
Set Ambitious
Goals
√ Both long and short term goals expressed,
however no specific percentage growths
shared, but did speak to making AYP. In
addition, preparing students to be college
ready
Instructional
vision and
effective
implementation
of curriculum
√ Head-of-school identified priority areas of the
curriculum and briefly talked about some
changes that occurred as a result of having a
focused set of priorities. Not much detail
shared
Assessments
and Data-driven
decisions
√ Utilized HSA and NWEA to group students
by ability level; employs small formative
assessments. However not directly connected
to learning interventions
Effective
professional
development
√ Limited resources, head-of-school has made
efforts to utilize her network of resources; not
officially planned out

197
Table D.2, continued

Degree of
Implementation

Instructional
Strategies
(Odden, 2009)
Strong
Average
Weak
Not
Observed
Notes
Professional
and
collaborative
school culture
√ Evidence of instances of cross-collaborations
and collective decision making
Using class
time effectively
√ Head-of-school talked about restructuring bell
schedule to allow for increased reading and
math time – however actual bell schedule was
not produced.
Extra-help
strategies
√ Noted a few strategies such as mandatory
study hall and ability groupings, but did not
expound
Distributive
school
leadership
√ Utilizes teams of teachers to work on various
school-wide projects, facilitate faculty
meetings, make decisions
External
Expertise
√ Briefly mentioned, particularly teacher
observation.
Other Strategies
Family and
community
Involvement
√ Participation by same small group of parents
who continuously attend meetings and
different events; serves as a sounding board
for the head-of-school; provides ongoing
feedback to continuously improve school

198
Comparison of School Resources to the Evidence-Based Model
The following Tables, D.3 and D.4, is a comparison of resources between a
prototypical school and Naauao Academy utilizing the Evidence-Based Model
(EBM). EBM prototypical school characteristics have been prorated to
accommodate the size if Naauao Academy. Also the data below is a reflection of
information collected from school year 2010 and 2011.

199
Table D.3
School Profile Comparison: Naauao Academy and Evidence Based Model (EBM)
School
School Element
EBM Prototypical
School
Naauao
Academy
Naauao Academy-
EBM Comparison
School
Configuration
K – 5 6 – 12 Middle – High School
Enrollment 432 80 Approximately 19%
of the size of EBM
prototypical school
Class Size K-3: 15
4-5: 25
6: 12
7: 14
8: 14
9: 8
10: 10
11: 11
12: 10

Full Day
Kindergarten
Yes No
Number of
Teacher Work
days
180+
10 days of PD
194 days
6 days of PD
14 more work days
than EBM
4 less PD days than
EBM
Students with
Disability
12% 0 12% less than EBM
Students in
poverty
50% 65% 15% higher than EBM
prototype
EL Students 10% 0 10% less than EBM
Minority Students 30% 0 30% less than EBM

200
Table D.4
Resource Comparison: Naauao Academy and Evidence Based Model (EBM) for
Adequate School Resources
School Element
EBM
Prototypical
School
EBM School with
Naauao Academy
Characteristics
(80)
Naauao
Academy
Naauao
Academy –
EBM
Comparison
Core Teachers 24 4.6 FTE but
minimum of 9.0
using EBM
guidelines for
smaller schools
13 FTE 4 more than
EBM adjustment
for small schools
Specialist Teachers 20% of core;
4.8
.92 FTE 0 FTE .92 Less FTE
Instructional
Facilitators/mentors
2.2 .42 FTE 0 FTE .42 Less FTE
Tutors 1 for every
100 poverty
students
.52 FTE 0 FTE .52 Less FTE
Teachers for EL 1 for every
100: 0.43
.8 FTE 0 FTE .8 less than EBM
(No EL students
at this school)
Extended Day 1.8 .12 FTE 0 FTE .12 less FTE
Summer School 1.8 .12 0 FTE .12 less FTE
Learning Disabled
Student
3 .57 FTE 1 FTE .43 More FTE
GATE Student $25/student $1,650 $0 No GATE
students at this
school
Substitutes 5% of all of
the above
$0

201
Table D.4, continued

School Element
EBM
Prototypical
School
EBM School
with Naauao
Academy
Characteristics
(80)
Naauao
Academy
Naauao
Academy –
EBM
Comparison
Pupil Support 1 for every 100
poverty students:
2.16
.52 FTE 0 .53 Less FTE
Non-Instructional
aides
2 .38 FTE 0 .38 Less FTE
Librarian/Media
Specialist
1 .15 FTE 0 .15 Less FTE
Principal 1 .9 FTE 1 .1 More FTE
School site
secretary
3 1 FTE 2 FTE 1 more FTE
Professional
Development
Instructional
facilitators,
Planning & prep
time, 10 summer
days, $100/pupil
for other PD
expenses –
trainers,
conferences,
travel, etc.
$8,000 $0 $8,000 less than
EBM
Technology $250/pupil $16,500 0 $16,500 Less
than EBM
Instructional
Materials
$140/pupil $9,240 $22,887 $13,647 More
than EBM
Student Activities $200/pupil $13,200 $4,425 $8,775 Less than
EBM

202
Lessons Learned & Future Considerations
Naauao Academy has experienced modest gains in overall academic
achievement as measured by state tests. Specifically, the school has been in
restructuring status for the past six year primarily due to its failure to meet AYP
benchmarks in both math and reading. After examining the assessment results and
the current school atmosphere, the following items are worth noting:
• The rapid increase and decrease of enrollment affected the balancing of
resources with successful school strategies.
• The head-of-school is on her second year as a member of the Naauao
Academy staff, this year being her first year as head-of-school. Many
initiatives to lessen the achievement gap and meet targets are still
immature.
• The combination of a collaborative professional environment and
distributed school leadership allows for a collective effort in working
towards achieving a common goal versus a top-down decision being
forced upon a staff.
• Reading scores have risen at a faster rate than math scores suggesting an
emphasized effort in reading improvement, although it was not discussed.
• A lack of resources severely restricts teachers from attending quality and
effective professional development opportunities that could increase their
skills and capacities as teachers.
203
• The stabilizing of the school environment (small class sizes, grouping of
students by ability, use of student level data to inform practice)
demonstrates promise in increasing student tests scores.
According to the head-of-school, Naauao Academy has been through some
challenging years, primarily with previous school administration and teacher morale.
Although that was not focus of the conversation, it has had rippling effects on the
current school atmosphere. As the head-of-school, she has begun to align and focus
the school back on its founding mission. In doing so, she has facilitated the school
staff to agree that moving away from restructuring status is primary since this is the
sixth year Naauao Academy has had that status. Change is taking place at the
school, however at the time of the conversation and with the available data, it is not
clear how the improvement initiatives and strategies are working.
The head-of-school also stated that there are current plan in place to increase
enrollment to a more sustainable number. Her beliefs is that with an increase in
enrollment, that is not to exceed school and site capacity, she will have the ability to
balance the budget and have sufficient resources to fully implement improvement
strategies that are currently lacking.

204
APPENDIX E
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN STUDY

Dear [Name],
My name is, and I am a doctoral student in the Rossier School of Education at USC.
I am conducting a research study as part of my dissertation, focusing on resource
allocation at your school and its link to student academic achievement. You have
been identified as someone who is involved with in the school’s leadership , and as
someone who might be ideal for the study. Participation would require one interview
of up to 2.5 hours.

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. Your identity as a participant will
remain confidential at all times during and after the study and all interviews will take
place in a private office at your school.

If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact me at (808) 330-
8178 or via email at bunag@usc.edu.

Thank you for your participation,
Brandon K. Bunag
University of Southern California

205
APPENDIX F
INFORMATION/FACT SHEET FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Title: A Closer Examination of Resource Allocations Using Research Based Best
Practices to Promote Student Learning: Case Studies of Elementary Schools in
Hawai`i with Distinct Patterns of Rising Academic Achievement

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study will be to examine resource allocation practices in
Hawaiian-focused charter schools. The study will not only include how schools have
allocated their resources within their school, but also the specific structures and
activities that the school created and implemented to promote an increase in student
academic achievement. These descriptions may help to provide guidance to state,
district, and schools leadership when formulating budgets and choosing quality
programs and structures to promote the creation and support of high quality teachers,
educational leaders, programs and supports that positively impact student
achievement.

PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you agree to participate, you will be asked to participate in a structured 2 hour,
audio recorded interview, to be conducted at a time and place convenient to you and
the researcher. The interview will be recorded, with your permission. However, you
may also participate in this study even if you choose not to be recorded.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Your identity as a participant will remain confidential at all times. There will be no
identifiable information obtained in connection with this study. Your name, address
or other identifiable information will not be collected. Your relationship with your
employer will not be affected whether or not you participate in this study.

The members of the research team and the University of Southern California’s
Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews
and monitors research studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.

206
INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact me at
bunag@usc.edu or call (808)330-8178.

IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
University Park IRB, Office of the Vice Provost for Research Advancement, Stonier
Hall, Room 224a, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1146, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu

SIGNATURE OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT
I have read the information provided above. I have been given a chance to ask
questions. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.

□ I agree to be audio-recorded.
□ I do not want to be audio-recorded.

Name of Participant

Signature of Participant Date
SIGNATURE OF INVESTIGATOR
I have explained the research to the participant and answered all of his/her questions.
I believe that he/she understands the information described in this document and
freely consents to participate.

Name of Person Obtaining Consent

Signature of Person Obtaining Consent Date

Abstract (if available)

Abstract While much of the public conversations surrounding K-12 education in Hawaii are focused on the challenges that traditional public schools are facing, Hawaiian-focused charter schools are no different in that they face the same issues and often have an even more difficult time marshaling the resources necessary to realize the dreams of their founders. With the current economic uncertainties and the significant number of Hawaiian focused charter schools struggling to meet the demands outlined in No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the efficient use of limited resources to drive instruction and produce results is more important than ever. In these small schools, financial concerns such as declining enrollment and outdated infrastructure combine with instructional issues such as professional development and teacher recruitment and retention may stymie the innovation that is inherently expected of charter schools in general. As a result, this study seeks to better understand the unique challenges that face Hawaiian-focused charter schools, specifically studying their resource allocation and how it links to their instructional strategies and performance by examining three start-up schools in Hawaii. The study uses both the Evidence-Based Model (EBM) detailed by Odden and Picus (2008) and Odden's (2009) Ten Strategies for Doubling Student Performance as organizational frameworks in the analysis of each schools's resource use and implementation of instructional strategies. The results of the study support the efficient allocation of resources and implementation of research-based instructional strategies outlined in the EBM and Odden's work.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Bunag, Brandon Keoni (author)

Core Title A closer examination of resource allocations using research based best practices to promote student learning: case studies of Hawaiian-focused charter schools in Hawaii

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 06/25/2012

Defense Date 06/22/2012

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag charter schools,Hawaii,Hawaiian Focused Charter Schools,OAI-PMH Harvest,resource allocation

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Picus, Lawrence O. (committee chair), Sundt, Melora (committee member), Wright, Erin K. (committee member)

Creator Email keonib@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-48953

Unique identifier UC11289222

Identifier usctheses-c3-48953 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-BunagBrand-902.pdf

Dmrecord 48953

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Bunag, Brandon Keoni

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA