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Hawaii
52,630 high school students

State Profile
As states work to raise their academic standards, several national high school reform initiatives are assisting them in their efforts to strengthen their high schools so that they provide students with a 21st century education and skills.

Through the profile provided here, the National High School Center offers (a) a snapshot of the state’s graduation requirements and college entrance requirements (see table below) and (b) summaries of national reform initiatives active in the state (see list below table).

High School and College Alignment in the State
The following table shows the state’s alignment between high school graduation requirements and minimum state college entrance requirements, providing a quick source for determining whether there is a gap between what students must know to graduate and what they are expected to have mastered in order to enter college.

High School Graduation Requirements College Admission Requirements*

English Units

4

4
 

English Language Arts 1 (1), English Language Arts 2 (1)

 

Mathematics Units

3

3
   

including algebra II and geometry

Social Studies Units

4

3

Science Units

3

3

Foreign Language Units

See Additional Units

N/S

Art Units

See Additional Units

N/S

Additional Units

P.E. - 1
Health - .5
Personal Transition Plan - .5
2 credits in one of the following: World language (same language); Fine Arts; Career and Technical Education
Electives - 6

Other college prep courses - 4
Electives - 5

Total Units

24

22 (17 college prep)

Tests

N/S

SAT or ACT

Source

Hawaii Department of Education

Hawaii University at Manoa

* Hawaii does not have statewide minimum admission requirements for its public universities and colleges. These admission requirements are for Hawaii University at Manoa.

National High School Improvement Initiatives at Work in the State
As states work to ready high school students for postsecondary success, many are partnering with national organizations to undertake high school improvement efforts. The following list includes national improvement initiatives at work in the state. National initiatives are defined as significant programs, projects, technical assistance, or key information clearinghouses dedicated to high school improvement. For information about and related to research on these initiatives, please click on the name of the initiative to link to a synthesis:


Hawaii State High School Improvement Initiatives
For information on high school improvement initiatives launched at the state level visit the
Hawaii Department of Education.

Hawaii ARRA Information
For information on Hawaii's ARRA efforts as it relates to education, please visit the state Web page.