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Hawaii's Special Context
Every state is unique but none more than the State of Hawaii. The following description offers illustrative examples about some of Hawaii’s distinct features so readers may gain an appreciation for the state. Hawaii's estimated population of 1,275,194 residents is a diverse multiracial and ethnic mix in which no single group is a majority. See Hawaii Populace for a complete breakdown.
Hawaii is the nation’s only island state; it encompasses a diverse geographic region that covers 6,471 square miles. An estimated 905,266 people live in the City and County of Honolulu, the state’s only major city, situated on the Island of Oahu. The rest of the state is largely rural. Hawaii’s unique history includes the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, control by a very small group of businessmen for several decades, a dominant plantation culture, as well as a current Native Hawaiian sovereignty movement. These events have implications for the preparation of teachers. Furthermore, Hawaii is the only state with two official languages--English and Hawaiian. The College of Education, therefore, prepares teachers with options to teach Hawaiian studies and/or in Hawaiian Language Immersion schools.
Hawaii has a single public school district with 284 schools serving 180,268 students in a variety of urban and rural settings. Many issues that confront education throughout the country tend to be magnified in Hawaii’s classrooms and schools. The cultural richness of the communities; opportunities for meaningful parent, family, and community involvement in education; and the personalized atmosphere of rural settings contribute to teachers’ job satisfaction. Still, circumstances for new and returning teachers pose challenges, as well as opportunities for educators.
One challenge relates to Hawaii’s diverse population. The information in Table I.1 reflects racial and ethnic disparities between students and teachers in the Hawaii Department of Education (HI DOE) public schools.
A second challenge concerns student achievement. Performance data from many public schools reflect achievement levels that are among the lowest in the nation. An increasing number of students have special learning needs, including those who: (a) come from disadvantaged families; (b) have limited English proficiency; and/or (c) require special education services. An estimated 89% of students in Hawaii's community colleges require remediation in math, and 68% require remediation in English. Lastly, Hawaii ranks among the lowest four states in high school and college completion in a timely manner. A third challenge relates to the competency of teachers. Teacher preparation within Hawaii emphasizes standards outlined by the Hawaii Teacher Standards, and based on INTASC Standards, yet essential concepts reflected in these standards are not addressed in the preparation of teachers outside Hawaii. Thus, teachers who immigrate to Hawaii often do not know the teacher standards and curricular content standards. Moreover, many teachers are unprepared for the challenges of rural schools and students. Consequently, the HI DOE experiences a high turnover of teachers and administrators. Recruitment needs for the 2006-07 academic year are especially high in the fields of special education (n=182), elementary education (n=52), mathematics (n=52), English as a Second Language (n=43), and science (n=32).
The University of Hawaii System
There are six four-year institutions of higher education in Hawaii, three of which are small, private colleges. The University of Hawaii is a single statewide postsecondary education system, comprising of 10 campuses that serve students throughout the state. The UH System includes the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM), University of Hawaii Hilo (UHH), and, University of Hawaii West Oahu (UHWO), as well as the UH Community College system with four campuses on Oahu and one each on Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii. Each administrative unit is accredited separately and differentially emphasizes instruction, research, and service. The system’s special distinction is found in its Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific orientation and international leadership role. All campuses rely on a semester calendar, with two terms per academic year, and a summer session. The discussion below addresses UHM's uniqueness regarding instruction, research, and service.
The UH System offices are located on the UHM campus in Honolulu. University system governance is vested in a Board of Regents appointed by the Governor. The regents in turn appoint the President of the University. The University of Hawaii is part of the State Constitution; therefore, all general fund support is appropriated annually through the legislative process.
The University of Hawaii at Manoa
UHM is the oldest campus in the UH system and the only designated Land and Sea Grant institution. It began in 1907 as a land-grant college of agriculture and mechanical arts, and became the University of Hawaii in 1920 with the addition of a College of Arts and Sciences. In 1972, the University evolved into the University of Hawaii at Manoa to distinguish it from the other units in the growing university system. UHM is the premier institution of higher learning in the Pacific Basin that belongs to an international community of research universities. It is a comprehensive, dynamic Research I university of international standing, which creates, refines, disseminates, and perpetuates human knowledge. It offers a vast array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees through the doctoral level, including law and medicine.
UHM has unique strengths in tropical agriculture, tropical medicine, oceanography, astronomy, electrical engineering, volcanology, evolutionary biology, comparative philosophy, comparative religion, Hawaiian studies, Asian studies, Pacific Island studies, and Asian and Pacific region public health. UHM offers instruction in 33 languages, which is more than any other institution across the country outside the US Department of State. Academic programs at UHM are organized into 19 units, each of which has a unique mission. They include eleven colleges and eight schools. See UHM Units for a complete breakdown.
Vision, Mission, and Core Values
The UHM vision is documented in its Strategic Plan, Defining Our Destiny 2002-10. It states "Manoa is a premier research institution whose scholars are leaders in their disciplines and whose students are prepared for leadership roles in society. It strives for excellence in teaching, research, and public service. Manoa is an innovative institution comfortable with change. Manoa celebrates its diversity and uniqueness as a Hawaiian place of learning. We build on our strengths including our unparalleled natural environment and tradition of outstanding Asian Pacific scholarship."
Its mission is to provide to provide "leadership, excellence, and innovation" in teaching, research, and service designed to: (a) create "transformational educational experiences for students, faculty, staff, administrators, and others in the community of scholars;" and (b) become "a model of innovation for the world to emulate and for the people of Hawaii to revere."
UHM's core commitments and strategic obligations address seven major areas: research; educational effectiveness; social justice; place; economic development; culture, society, and the arts; and technology.
Governance
Authority within UHM flows directly from the Board of Regents to the President, vice presidents, chancellors, vice chancellors, academic units, and unit faculty. The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA) oversees academic programs and reports to the Chancellor. A dean leads each academic unit and reports to the VCAA. Faculty governance is through the UH Manoa Faculty Senate. Figure I.1 depicts the relationship of the College of Education to the UHM organizational structure.
Accreditation
The Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits UHM. Professional programs are accredited by appropriate agencies, including but not limited to the American Library Association (ALA), American Psychological Association (APA), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), Commission on Accreditation for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), Council for Exceptional Children (CEC),and Council for Rehabilitation Education (CORE) (see UH Professionally Accredited Programs).
College of Education
The College of Education (COE) is an upper division college and graduate professional school. It is one of 19 constituent institutions nationwide with a formal school and university partnership as a member of the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER). As such, it is a national leader in developing and implementing field-based preparation programs that link educational theory to practice in school settings. Candidates and faculty spend considerable time in schools and share insights and expertise, while learning simultaneously from school professionals who have day-to-day responsibilities for educating children and youth. NNER members find commonality in the shared vision of the Agenda for Education in a Democracy.
Mission
The College provides innovative teaching, research, service, and leadership to the local community, state of Hawaii, and the nation. Its mission is to work as a diverse and democratic community to: (a) prepare new educators and provide ongoing professional development in education; (b) increase the knowledge base in education and related fields through the production and application of research related to teaching, learning, and assessment; and (c) serve as partners and leaders for excellence in education. The COE offers: (a) undergraduate and graduate programs to prepare teachers and other school personnel, as well as non-teaching programs; (b) professional development opportunities for in-service educators; and (c) leadership to school and community groups that facilitate understanding about educational issues. Unique program features adhere to each of the six standards.
Organization
Currently, 193 full-time and 105 part-time faculty, 4 administrators, 6 advisors, 142 staff and teachers, and 77 graduate assistants work in the college, of whom 163 teach education courses. See Table I.2 for the academic rank of College instructional and research faculty.
The College is divided into eight departments: Counselor Education, Curriculum Studies, Educational Administration, Educational Foundations, Educational Psychology, Educational Technology, Kinesiology and Leisure Science, and Special Education, as well as the Institute for Teacher Education (ITE). The College also houses two organized research units--the Curriculum, Research and Development Group (CRDG) and the Center on Disability Studies (CDS). The respective missions and functions of the two units are described in Standard 6. The COE organizational structure, including its academic and service units and governance groups, is also detailed in Standard 6.
Programs
The College's broad range of degree and post-baccalaureate certificate programs respond to diverse constituency needs. There are post-baccalaureate certificate programs in secondary, and special education. The COE also offers two Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) programs, one of which is in Educational Psychology. The second program, a PhD in Education is an interdisciplinary, college-wide offering with several specializations. The credits vary within each program and from program to program, with a range of 54-90 credit hours, including 12 credit hours for dissertation. See Table I.4 for enrollment in doctoral program specializations.
The College fulfills a combination of roles which other states generally assign to several colleges or universities. A complete list of initial and advanced degree, certificate, and diploma programs may be found in the University of Hawaii at Manoa 2006-07 Catalog and Table 1.3.
Off Campus and Distance Programs
The College has been offering distance courses since 1991 across the state and the Pacific Rim. Programs that lead to licensure were offered beginning in 2003. The distance programs are identical to those offered on the Manoa campus. They are coordinated by the Office of Technology and Distance Programs and delivered with distance learning technologies through collaborative efforts on community college and public school campuses. As indicated in Standard 6, distance delivery relies on a variety of instructional technologies, including audio and video-conferences, interactive television, web-based instruction, and e-mail, as well as on-site instruction and supervision. The College delivers programs in Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education and various graduate fields. Information on off campus and distance education programs currently recruiting candidates as well as those in progress is available at the COE website (or see Off Campus and Distance Education Programs).
Tables I.4 and I.5 reflect current statewide teacher education program admission and graduation data and enrollment data, respectively.
Partnerships
The College has numerous formal and informal partnerships with P-12 schools. The heart of its school community partnerships is the Hawaii Institute for Educational Partnerships (HIEP), which was established by the College and HI DOE in July 1998. HIEP incorporates its predecessor, the Hawaii School University Partnership, which existed from 1986-1998 in association with NNER. The partnership operates under the premise that significant change in education occurs when schools and universities change together. More complete descriptions of the HIEP and educational partnerships are found in Standards 3 and 6.
Enrollment
Fall semester 2006 data show an enrollment of 1,456 COE students, with 633 (44%) candidates in undergraduate and post-baccalaureate programs, of whom 533 (37%) enroll in initial teacher preparation; 443 teacher education candidates (30%) are full-time students. A total of 823 candidates (57%) enroll in graduate programs, of whom 128 (9%) enroll in initial teacher preparation, and 53 (4%) enroll in programs for other school personnel; 100 teacher education (7%) and 30 other school personnel (2%) candidates are full-time students. A total of 1,057 candidates (73%) are women, and 805 candidates (55%) attend school full-time. Table I.6 illustrates enrollment data by ethnicity (Fall Semester 2000 through Fall Semester 2006). See COE Diversity Data 2000-04, COE Enrollment Data Fall 2005, and COE Enrollment Data Fall 2006 for a definitive breakdown of Asian, Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander candidates.
About 19% of current candidates in the College (n=289) receive some sort of financial aid (e.g., loans, grants, scholarships). Table I.7 shows the number and amount of scholarships and tuition waivers awarded to COE candidates between Fall Semester 2001 through Spring Semester 2006.
Graduation/Completion Data
Table I.8 illustrates the initial and advanced program candidates who were awarded degrees, or completed Post-Baccalaureate certificate only programs from Fall Semester 2003 to Spring Semester 2006.
Accreditation and Program Approval
The College's initial NCATE accreditation continues through Spring Semester 2007. The HI DOE approves all programs for which there are no NCATE affiliated specialty professional associations, based on standards established by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). State approval qualifies education graduates for reciprocal teaching licensure and certification in at least 40 states and the District of Columbia. In practice, education graduates qualify for teacher certification in all states.
Interface of the College of Education with the Hawaii Department of Education
As stated previously, UH is a statewide system responsible to a Board of Regents. The HI DOE is also a statewide system, comprised of seven administrative units, responsible to a single Board of Education. In 1991, the UH Board of Regents and Hawaii Board of Education signed a Partnership Agreement, the purpose of which relates to providing the best educational opportunities from preschool through adult education for Hawaii’s citizens. “The unique organization of public education in Hawaii in which there is a single authority for the public schools and a single authority for the public universities provides an excellent opportunity to collaboratively and cooperatively address issues affecting both agencies.” (Board of Education and Board of Regents Partnership Agreement, September 5, 1991.)
The public school governance structure is most relevant to the College. There are no local school boards to make policy decisions or levy taxes. The single school district serves as both State Education Agency (SEA) and Local Education Agency (LEA). It does not, however, have taxing authority. Schools are funded entirely from the state’s general fund; school board members are elected and they develop policy for the entire state. Consequently, many decisions made by local school boards or SEAs in other states are made by the state legislature in Hawaii.
Teacher Performance and Licensing Standards were developed by the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board (HTSB), which was established by the State Legislature in 1997. The standards are aligned with those of NCATE, the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The College has adopted the Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards in all teacher preparation programs. Faculty, mentor teachers, and employers use the standards to evaluate candidates' and graduates' performance. Use of standards for assessment purposes is described in Standard 2.
The COE works closely with HTSB to implement the NCATE protocol. HTSB reviews programs for which there are no NCATE affiliated specialty professional association processes.
Major Changes in College of Education since Initial NCATE Visit in 2001
The College experienced a number of changes since initial NCATE accreditation, many of which relate to personnel changes and unit reorganization. These changes were accompanied by smooth transitions to ensure ongoing program operations. See Chronology Of Major Changes Affecting The College Of Education (2001-06) for a complete table of significant changes.
The terms College of Education, College, and Unit are synonymous and will be used throughout this document to reference the Professional Education Unit.
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