State Report

Hawaii

Across the country, states are raising the bar for what high school can be—and Hawaii is among those leading the way. In this state profile, we both celebrate the work done so far and offer a vision for continued progress.

State Report

Hawaii

Overview

State leaders in Hawaii are building a foundation for high school transformation by adopting seat time flexibility, developing a set of college and career readiness competencies, and ensuring that students who earn a diploma are able to apply to the state’s institutions of higher education. At the heart of this work is the state’s Portrait of a Graduate, which captures the six learning outcomes—the Nā Hopena A‘o, or HĀ—that schools should help students develop throughout the course of their K-12 journey. Developed through a community-driven process of dialogue and engagement, the outcomes include the knowledge, competencies, skills, and dispositions that students should have by the time they leave high school.

Hawaii law codifies that credit towards graduation is “an expression of progress and learning rather than merely time spent," providing significant flexibility for communities interested in rethinking the high school experience. To build on this foundation, state leaders could explore opportunities to launch a statewide initiative with dedicated resources to incentivize community-led high school redesign.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Highlights from Hawaii

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Highlights from Hawaii

Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.

Highlights from Hawaii

Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.

Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432

Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432

Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432
Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy will add an average of 72,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 51,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Hawaii
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Hawaii’s 4.5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $31 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Hawaii
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 18 percent of Hawaii seniors graduated ready for college in math and 37 percent did so in English (68 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 23 percent of Hawaii’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 29 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Hawaii
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Hawaii workers by $914 annually, totaling $18,293 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,032 per year, adding up to $40,656 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Hawaii
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/; Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432

Progress

High school is where America’s future takes shape. Today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators, problem solvers, and leaders—but our schools are still rooted in a century-old model built for the industrial age. As automation and AI transform the job market, too many students leave high school unprepared for what comes next.

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Hawaii

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Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data