Our Future
After more than 20 years, we have made much progress. However, much remains to be done. The ‘Aha Pūnana Leo will continue to work at stabilizing the Hawaiian medium sites statewide; will continue to strengthen Hawaiian language use and cultural practice in our families; will continue to support communities in maintaining existing sites and in the development of new ones: and the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo will continue to pursue a seamless public P-20 Hawaiian Medium Educational system in the State of Hawai‘i.
E Ola Ka ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i.
The Hawaiian Language Shall Live.
Preschools and Lab Schools
‘Aha Pūnana Leo has always believed that every child in Hawai‘i has the right to a public Hawaiian Medium Education. In 1985, as the first children graduated from Pūnana Leo preschools, Hawaiian medium education was not being offered in Hawai‘i public schools. ‘Aha Pūnana Leo and its supporters first sought to overturn the 1896 law that banned Hawaiian language use in schools. They then waged a three-year effort to establish Hawaiian medium kindergarten classes in Hilo and Honolulu. The first attempt was unsuccessful and in response, Pūnana Leo parents and supporters along with the ‘APL formed a boycott school at the Pūnana Leo in Hilo. For one year the first graduates of Pūnana Leo o Hilo were housed at this boycott school, which was named, Kula Kaiapuni Hawai‘i (Hawaiian Surrounding Environment School). ‘APL, along with parents and other supporters, continued to fight for Hawaiian medium education in the public schools. In 1987, they succeeded and the pilot program Kula Kaiapuni was opened in Hilo and in Waiau. The statewide K-12 program is known today as Kula Kaiapuni Hawai‘i or the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program and is administered under the State’s Department of Education.
As Pūnana Leo preschools were opened in communities around the state, more and more K-12 Kula Kaiapuni sites were opened to accommodate Pūnana Leo graduates. In almost all cases, the Kaiapuni sites were opened only after additional lobbying efforts led by the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo. Today, there are 11 Pūnana Leo language nests and 21 Kula Kaiapuni in the State of Hawai‘i.
In addition to paving the way for Hawaiian Immersion Education in Hawai’i, the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo and its consortium partner have also provided ongoing support to the K-12 Kula Kaiapuni Hawai‘i program. This support from the nonprofit ‘APL to the State DOE’s program has included the funding of teacher positions and school sites; developing and providing classroom materials and curriculum; developing Leokī, a Hawaiian language electronic bulletin board; and funding transportation to sites.
All 11 Pūnana Leo Language Nests for preschool-aged children are Hawaiian medium education sites, where students, kumu and staff use ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i at all times. Most of the 21 K-12 Kula Kaiapuni in the State, are Hawaiian medium education streams in English medium education schools, falling under the administration of the DOE. All of the Kaiapuni schools except, Ānuenue, Ni‘ihau School, Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u, Kula Kaiapuni ‘o S. M. Kamakau and Ke Kula Ni‘ihau o Kekaha are structured on this model. Common problems with this “school within a school model” include district lines due to the need for some students to travel to other districts to take advantage of the nearest immersion program, transportation to sites, the hiring of non-Hawaiian speaking teachers to name a few.
While the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo continues to support all Kaiapuni schools, the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo has focused its efforts on developing of a model that is more in line with its Hawaiian language revitalization goals. The model is a cooperative effort between the Department of Education, Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo. In 1997, Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u became the first school to receive laboratory school status under Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke’elikōlani while still remaining a satellite school under the jurisdiction of Hilo High School. Unlike the Hawaiian language stream model, Nāwahī has been developed as a Honua Mauli Ola Hawai‘i, an environment in which the Hawaiian language is spoken by administrators, teachers and students and where Hawaiian cultural foundations are nurtured and practiced. Nāwahī has enjoyed more control over hiring of qualified Hawaiian speaking administrators and educators. As a lab school, Nāwahī has reaped the benefits of the teacher training and curriculum development programs of Ka Haka ‘Ula o Ke‘elikōlani College. The state legislature has made provisions for other Kaiapuni sites to receive this status. As of 2005, ‘Aha Pūnana Leo assisted two other schools, Ke Kula ‘o S. M. Kamakau and Ke Kula Ni‘ihau o Kekaha, with gaining laboratory school status.