ANSWER: A little known book, produced by the state Department of Education each year, is available at many public libraries. The most recent is the School Status Improvement Report 1994-95. It has several pages of information on each public school in the state, organized concisely by categories such as students, staff, facilities, improvement projects, test scores, behavior problems and awards.
For example, it tells how many classrooms the school has, whether there are extra rooms or a shortage. It also tells whether the size of the facilities meet, fall short or exceed state standards, number of repair requests made and number of repairs completed.
One section lists some of the school's most recent Stanford Achievement Test scores plus the scores for the two previous years. The school's projects for improvement are listed and described. Each school may list awards received by students, staff or entire school.
The section on student behavior lists the number of students suspended, and burglaries, robberies, or other incidents of violence. The section on staff lists the number of workers, the number of teachers who have taught five or more years at the school, and the number of principals the school has had in the past five years.
The section on students lists the total, the number in special education, the number with limited English, and the number receiving free or reduced cost lunches.
The opening segment on each school briefly describes the school and community. For example, Aina Haina Elementary, the first school described, serves kindergarten through grade six. The description says: "The Aina Haina School serves a community in Honolulu that extends from Waialae Iki to Kuliouou. The families in the area are mostly middle- and high-income professionals with high expectations for their children.
"These parents value education highly and participate actively in their children's schooling. The school offers many special services to its students, including remedial education, enrichment, special education, foreign language, and band programs and distance learning technology."
Each school has its own report available on campus. On Oahu, the book with the reports on all public schools is at the downtown Honolulu Hawaii State Library, and at the public library in Kaimuki, Kalihi, McCully, Pearl City, Kaneohe, Hawaii Kai, and Mililani. The book call number is RH 371.01 HAWS.
The names and locations of Hawaii schools can be found in the phone book's yellow pages under schools. Many schools have their own brief booklets or their own detailed improvement reports. High schools have course catalogs.
To get a feel for a school, visit the campus. Some staff members are at work even at schools now on summer vacation. The way prospective students and parents are treated will give valuable clues about the school.
- Motor vehicles not allowed on beach sand
- Mahalo