Dual Enrollment Programs in Hawaii: Access, Culture, and Effectiveness

Introduction

Dual credit programs have been well established throughout United States public schools. According to Hodara and Wang (2015), 25 states now require all of their public school districts to offer some type of dual credit program. By 2011, as many as 82% of all American public schools had students enrolled in dual credit programs, not even including Advanced Placement (AP) course enrollment (Hodara & Wang, 2015). However, Hawaii is not one of the 25 states that requires school districts to offer dual credit programs. Whether Hawaii's dual credit programs need to be strengthened is the subject of this research. Through policies other than mandated dual credit access, the state is "committed to the availability of dual credit through a number of statewide dual-credit programs" (Hodara & Wang, 2015, p. 1).

More importantly, Hawaii has reconsidered its approach to funding dual enrollment programs. In 2013, the State of Hawaii received approval to waive certain provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), a federal policy that was not specifically geared toward improving college preparedness. Instead, a team of Hawaiian stakeholders—including educators, parents, community groups, and members of the state's higher education network—collaborated on a solution. The result was the Strive HI Performance System, which has an express goal of improving and assuring "readiness for community, college, and careers" (Hawaii State Department of Education, 2017). Hawaii has taken responsibility for student outcomes by rejecting unworkable federal education policies and adopting plans and programs that work to improve educational outcomes for all residents of the state.

Access

Access issues entail cost accessibility, logistical concerns such as transportation, admissions policies and barriers to enrollment, and possibly also linguistic and cultural barriers. Another important barrier in service delivery with regard to dual enrollment programs in Hawaiian public schools is information. Osumi (2010) reports that once school-based notifications were distributed throughout the state, counselors "relied on students to self-identify" as interested in Running Start (p. viii). Asking students to self-identify is not a culturally relevant or effective method of attracting attention and interest in dual enrollment programs. Students need more information about the programs, how to enroll, what the programs mean, and how dual enrollment fits into their lives. They also need a clear and easy enrollment pathway, and a broader understanding of the meaning of a college education overall.

Economic Issues

The two most notable dual credit programs in Hawaii are called Early College and Running Start. Running Start is a state-specific program—"a partnership between the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) and University of Hawai'i (UH) system that allows students to take college courses and earn college credit" (Hodara & Wang, 2015, p. 1). Classes must be taken on college campuses and taught by a college professor. However, students are sometimes responsible for paying for these courses. This has been a major problem with Running Start, as it has the potential to isolate and marginalize students whose families cannot afford the cost of the program. In 2007, the Hawaii legislature officially recognized that its underserved communities were not participating in dual enrollment and dual credit courses due specifically to "perceived financial barriers" (Osumi, 2010, p. 13). To mitigate these problems with financial accessibility, the government of Hawaii has received federal funding for a scholarship program called Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP).

The provisions of GEAR UP are extensive but focus on helping low-income students access funding that will assist their success in dual enrollment courses. GEAR UP "supports low-income students' participation in the Running Start dual credit program by providing support for tuition and books" ("Running Start," n.d.). GEAR UP scholarships are not strictly needs-based, but admissions policies do favor low-income students, assessed by their participation in other needs-based programs such as the National School Lunch Program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program ("Running Start," n.d.).

Unlike Running Start, Early College/Early Admissions courses are offered at the student's high school, making these classes potentially more accessible (Dual Credit, 2017). However, tuition and other cost impediments may still present problems. The most notable state policy that directly supports dual credit programs is Senate Bill SB374, which "aims to broaden access and participation in all forms of dual credit" (Hodara & Wang, 2015, p. 1). What SB374 effectively did was open dual enrollment to a wider range of students previously excluded, including high school freshmen and home-schooled students. Moreover, SB374 ensured that access to dual enrollment programs would be expanded through different admissions methods. Whereas previous admission into dual enrollment programs was achieved through standardized tests only, the state now requires multiple types of admissions assessment (Hodara & Wang, 2015). SB374 does not, however, offer additional funding for students' tuition or school fees (Hodara & Wang, 2015). To alleviate budget restrictions, the Hawaii Department of Education has been seeking additional federal funding ("Hawaii 'dual credit' high schoolers more likely to go to college," 2016). Funding shortfalls are disproportionately affecting the state's rural residents: "Rural districts losing revenue due to waning K–12 student enrollment may be forced to choose between limiting dual enrollment course opportunities and making staffing reductions" (Dounay, 2014, p. 1).

Cultural Barriers and Relevance

Cultural barriers to accessing dual enrollment programs must be taken into account when situating them within the Hawaiian public education system. About 30% of students enrolled in the state's public schools are Native Hawaiian (Takayama, 2008). Another 22% or more are Filipino—meaning that together, Hawaiian and Filipino students comprise roughly half the student body in Hawaiian public schools (Halagao, n.d.). Native Hawaiians have "poorer educational achievement compared to their peers in public schools" (Kana'iaupuni & Ledward, 2013, p. 154). Likewise, Filipino students have poorer achievement compared with peers from "dominant" ethnic groups including Japanese, Chinese, and white (Halagao, n.d.). These differential achievement outcomes impact enrollment in dual credit programs. Osumi (2010) found that Hawaii's dual credit student participation rates differed by ethnic group, attributing these differences both to test-based admissions requirements and to a lack of cultural relevance in program design.

To reduce the achievement gap between Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian students, several researchers (Kana'iaupuni & Ledward, 2013; Takayama, 2008) recommend creating culturally relevant course content within dual enrollment programs and the mainstream high school curriculum. "Teachers can and must make learning culturally meaningful to their students and families by honoring culture and place in teaching and learning with respect to the heritage language, family and community involvement, instructional content and context, and authentic assessment" (Kana'iaupuni & Ledward, 2013, p. 153). Hawaiian students are more likely to be inspired by class content and motivated to attend college when they recognize that they have a valuable role to play in their communities and understand how a college education may enhance their ability to perform that role. Moreover, Hawaiian students are more likely to perform well in dual enrollment programs, high school, and higher education when the curriculum and pedagogy are culturally relevant. Takayama (2008) also recommends that Hawaiian higher education and the private sector do more to encourage students to return to the islands after pursuing degrees elsewhere, thereby strengthening the overall caliber and perceived value of Hawaiian education. The success of Hawaiian language and culture-based (HLCB) schools in promoting academic achievement among students in rural communities should inform best practices for implementing or modifying dual enrollment programs in Hawaii (Takayama, 2008).

Intersections between culture and socio-economic class are also important when analyzing access issues in Hawaiian dual enrollment programs. Halagao (n.d.) and Takayama (2008) both point to the unique experiences of significant ethnic minority groups in Hawaiian schools, such as Filipinos. Like Native Hawaiians, Filipinos along with Samoans are "considered subordinate" on the islands due to their lack of access to financial, political, and social power relative to "dominant" groups of Chinese, Japanese, and white residents (Halagao, n.d., p. 6). Yet Filipinos are also one of the largest ethnic groups represented in Hawaii's student population and have lower achievement scores compared to members of the "dominant" social groups (Halagao, n.d., p. 6). HLCB programming is therefore only one solution to increasing cultural competency within the dual enrollment model. Dual enrollment programs need to be made culturally relevant to all of Hawaii's students. Given that nearly half of all Hawaiian students are either Native Hawaiian or Filipino, it makes sense to design dual enrollment programs that are particularly relevant and accessible to these important communities. The dual enrollment programs are in fact most urgently needed by underserved communities, in order to reduce the long-term achievement gap. One documented effect of attending dual enrollment courses is on identity and self-perception: research has shown that students participating in dual credit courses are "more likely to see themselves pursuing higher education" ("Hawaii 'dual credit' high schoolers more likely to go to college," 2016).

Conclusion and Recommendations

As successful as Running Start, Early College/Early Admissions, and GEAR UP have been on multiple levels, there is room for improvement. The Hawaiian Department of Education has done a good job responding to the needs of underserved communities, especially with regard to the pilot program of Project Ho'oku'i. It is strongly recommended that Project Ho'oku'i continue as a permanent program and that the Project Ho'oku'i model be adapted to serve the Filipino and Samoan communities as well.

The future of Hawaii's dual enrollment programs also depends on liberating resources to fund them. Funding may come from a variety of sources ranging from the federal government and the nonprofit sector to the private sector. Regardless of origin, it is important to allocate resources so that rural residents have equitable access to dual enrollment programs.

Finally, technology has the potential to improve the accessibility of dual enrollment programs significantly. The state should partner with the University of Hawaii system to provide rural regional schools with access to technology and digital coursework. Digital courses and remote learning could reduce many of the logistical problems associated with accessing dual enrollment courses, helping to ensure that the benefits of these programs reach every student in Hawaii.