When 8,000 students across 20 Hawaii public schools started the new school year last week, they found their pencils, crayons, notebooks and many other school supplies already purchased by their school and waiting for them, thanks to subsidies from a new state pilot project.
Act 142, passed this spring in the state Legislature, provided $806,000 for free school supplies for families of schools composed entirely of students eligible for Title I funding, which aids low-income families. The goal is to encourage educational success.
“Having those school supplies builds students’ confidence that they have the tools and they’re ready to learn,” said Wilma Roddy, principal of Naalehu Elementary School, a Hawaii Island school benefiting from the program. “They’re like, ‘I’m here, I’m ready to go! I’m not having to worry about if my parents can get these (supplies) for me.’ ”
Many of the 430 students at Naalehu live in rural and remote areas across Kau. “It takes our ‘ohana over an hour to drive to a Walmart, Target or Costco to buy school supplies or whatever we need, even groceries,” Roddy added in a news release. “The benefit of this program helps ease the financial burden of our ‘ohana and allow keiki to focus on learning because they have the necessary supplies to get going from the get-go.”
Each eligible school received $100 per student and handled its own purchasing and distribution of the school supplies, state Department of Education Communications Director Nanea Kalani said.
Title I is the federal education program that provides financial assistance to schools with high percentages of children from low- income families. Title I schools have a minimum poverty threshold of 47.2%, meaning roughly half the student population comes from low-income families.
The pilot program is a one-time appropriation, and whether it will be repeated depends in part on measurable results. The DOE is required to report to the 2024 Legislature on findings, recommendations and proposed further legislation.
State Sen. Dru Kanuha had introduced measures over the past four years to establish a school supply subsidy program at Naalehu Elementary. This year, an amended version of the original bill to include all qualifying schools in Hawaii, buoyed by an improved economic forecast, passed the Legislature and was signed into law by Gov. David Ige. Kanuha said he hopes to make the program permanent for Title I schools.
The rollout was celebrated at an outdoor ceremony Monday before the students at Naalehu Elementary.
“I was so happy that not only did this pilot program start here in Naalehu, the bill originally was for Naalehu Elementary and because of the work of my colleagues Sen. (Michelle) Kidani and House members, they changed it to make it a statewide program,” Kanuha said at the ceremony. “It’s because of you kids, you teachers, and this community that this will have a statewide impact.”
State Board of Education member Kaimana Bacarse, who represents Hawaii island on the board, urged the students to “take these supplies that were provided for you and do the best you can for your education, and become the leaders that will take care of our community in the future.”
State Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi also traveled to Hawaii island to speak at the celebration and said many families from the participating schools “have been overcome with emotion when receiving the school supplies for their children, and they’re so appreciative.”
The 20 schools in the pilot program account for about 7% of the 258 regular public schools and 37 public charter schools in Hawaii’s statewide system.
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Getting assistance
The 8,000 students who received supplies make up about 5% of the 171,000 students in Hawaii Department of Education schools. The participating schools are:
Oahu
>> Aiea Elementary
>> Kaewai Elementary
>> Kamaile Academy Public Charter School
>> Kauluwela Elementary
>> Linapuni Elementary
>> Nanaikapono Elementary
>> Palolo Elementary
>> Pope Elementary
>> Waianae Elementary
Hawaii Island
>> Hilo Union Elementary
>> Honaunau Elementary
>> Kapiolani Elementary
>> Kau High & Pahala Elementary
>> Keaukaha Elementary
>> Keonepoko Elementary
>> Mountain View Elementary
>> Naalehu Elementary
>> Pahoa Elementary
>> Pahoa High & Intermediate
Molokai
>> Maunaloa Elementary
