The Hawaii Standards System


Foreword
The Hawaii Standards System supports standards-based education through curriculum, instruction and assessment components. The Hawaii Standards System supports school level implementation of standards-based education by:

  • Identifying the targets for student learning such as the Vision of the Public School Graduate, General Learner Outcomes, the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards III, and other course standards;

  • Providing curricular and behavioral support for students through direct services to students and their families; and

  • Developing, acquiring, and assuring access to support for implementation of standards-based education for teachers, school leaders, and other academic staff.


  • An essential component of the Hawaii Standards System is the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards III (HCPS III) document which contains:

  • Essential content and skills in nine content areas: Career and Technical Education, Fine Arts, Health, Language Arts, Math, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages;

  • Standards that describe the educational expectations for ALL students in grades K-5;

  • Essential standards for all required courses in the four core areas: Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies; and

  • Essential standards that can be met through elective courses chosen by secondary students to fulfill graduation requirements in the five extended core areas: Career and Technical Education, Fine Arts, Health, Physical Education, and World Languages.


  • Included in the Hawaii Standards System are standards for courses not found in this HCPS III document. These standards may be found in HCPS II and will be identified in a future version of the Approved Courses and Code Numbers (ACCN) course descriptions. Because ALL courses are standards-based, these specialized courses utilize:

  • Industry or national standards that describe essential content and skills for elective courses in areas such as Career and Technical Education and Fine Arts; and

  • Content area-specific standards found in HCPS II.


  • The system also provides student instructional support components such as Special Education and English for Second Language Learners. It also includes student and family support components such as Pihana Na Mamo and Parent Community Network Coordinators.


    The General Learner Outcomes


    Equally important to learning academic content is developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes that all students need in order to lead full and productive lives. The six General Learner Outcomes serve as the essential, overarching goals for all of the content and performance standards. These Outcomes are:

  • The ability to be responsible for one’s own learning

  • The understanding that it is essential for human beings to work together

  • The ability to be involved in complex thinking and problem solving

  • The ability to recognize and produce quality performance and quality products

  • The ability to communicate effectively

  • The ability to use a variety of technology effectively and ethically


  • These Outcomes must be an integral part of teaching and learning and the heart of every Hawaii classroom. Teachers of all subjects in all grades must contribute to the development of the General Learner Outcomes while promoting the learning of subject matter as well.


    The real test of the standards is their ability to improve student learning. Raising expectations is but the first step; it’s what we do with the standards—how we realize them in all classrooms for all students—that will determine whether we can fulfill the Department’s vision of graduating students who

  • realize their individual goals and aspirations;

  • possess the attitudes, knowledge and skills necessary to contribute positively and compete in a global society;

  • exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; and

  • pursue post-secondary education and/or careers without need for remediation.





  • © 2005 Hawaii State Department of Education. All rights reserved.
    For more information, please contact atr@k12.hi.us

     

     

     

     

     

    eXTReMe Tracker