Amy Perruso, a high school history teacher and Hawaiʻi state representative, said one shortcoming of the current strategic plan was holding students to unrealistic standards. It creates a false impression to members of the public that if schools aren’t living up to these standards, they’re not doing the work, she said.

“I think that’s a misguided approach because you’re setting up the schools to fail,” she said.

“I don’t think parents really care about test scores. They care about whole-child education, who their child is becoming and what they’re getting out of school.”

An initial draft of the Department of Education (DOE) “Promise Plan” is expected by fall before a final draft is submitted to the board of education early next year for approval. With the DOE soliciting community feedback for its new plan up until August 1, education advocates are urging some fidelity to the current strategic plan.

“We participated in past strategic plan planning and community sessions and know that it takes a tremendous effort to update a plan,” states a letter signed by education advocacy groups like Heʻe Coalition, HawaiiKidsCAN and Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, in April 2019 testimony to the board.

“Most of all, we want to make sure our state’s focus remains on equity and supporting our high-need students,” the groups wrote, pointing out a lack of improvements in chronic absenteeism and narrowing the achievement gap.