The number of students repeating grades for the 2021-22 school year in Hawaii County more than doubled from the year before.
Statewide, that number nearly doubled as well, according to recent data from the state Department of Education.
During the 2020-21 school year, 2,814 students statewide were held back. That number jumped to 5,577 students in 2021-22. For Hawaii County, 407 students were held back during the 2020-21 school year, but that number rose to 1,045 students in 2021-22.
West Hawaii Complex Area Superintendent Janette Snelling believes the pandemic is largely responsible for the increase.
“In some cases, distance learning contributed to grade retention due to students not progressing/earning credits while enrolled in online learning courses,” she said. “Grade retention is an option; however, it is always considered after all other supports are exhausted.”
For elementary-level students, the decision to be held back is based on the child’s teacher, school administrators and parents’ convening over a mutual decision that prioritizes additional support.
For middle and high school students, retention is based primarily on the credits a student earns.
“For secondary grades, retention is based on credit accrual,” said Snelling. “There is a set number of credits required for promotion to the next grade level.”
To catch students up, Snelling said schools are offering a variety of support and summer courses.
“All of our secondary schools offered and continue to offer credit recovery programming both during the school year and summer,” she said. “While there are circumstances where students have been retained, schools do all that they can to provide the support needed to keep students on track.”
Hilo-Waiakea Complex Superintendent Esther Kanehailua noted the retentions do not take into account summer instruction, which often can keep students from repeating grades.
“Official retention data for accountability is lagged by a year,” she said. “This provides students with the opportunity to be promoted following summer instruction.”
As a result of the extra help, Kanehailua said only two elementary students were held back across nine schools in the Hilo-Waiakea Complex for the 2021-22 school year.
“Even though our elementary schools have only retained a couple of students, there is still great concern about the impacts of the pandemic,” she said. “Every school is working to address it in different ways based on the needs of the student.”
Kanehailua noted that transfer students are often counted in the retention data, as well.
“We do have a handful of students in elementary school that transfer into our schools already having been retained in their previous schools,” she said.
Kanehailua added the Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area is addressing the issue by dedicating resources to fight the impacts of the pandemic, having school teams work with families to address unique needs of students, and notifying counselors within the first quarter if any students are flagged for a risk of being retained.
“One challenge has been students coming in who did not attend kindergarten last year,” Kanehailua noted. “Now, they are a year behind others their age.”
Retention rates also impacted students at the high school level, with Hilo High School Principal Jasmine Urasaki reporting that during the 2020-21 school year, 143 students were retained. But for 2021-22, the number dropped to 113.
“Retention rates actually decreased,” Urasaki said. “Implementation of summer credit recovery programs and return to in-person learning helped students to progress.”
Additional solutions Urasaki outlined for Hilo High students include the implementation of a Freshman Academy with counselors dedicated to ninth-grade students as well as a credit recovery program offered both during and after school.
Chronic absenteeism also played a role in retention rates.
A recent Strive HI report from the DOE covering school performance found that chronic absenteeism, or students missing 15 or more days during the school year, jumped from just 18% in 2021 to 37% in 2022.
“It is critical that attendance be prioritized so we can help get our students back on track,” said Kanehailua. “Counselors track attendance weekly and use strategies (letters, phone calls, meetings) to help improve their attendance.”
Kanehailua also is focused on strengthening the school community through events like Ohana Nights and Spirit Week to get students excited about coming to school.
“We will continue to monitor our attendance rate, provide incentives to students, and provide intervention and enrichment opportunities,” she said. “We are also planning to bring back parent night activities for our families. We want to make our students feel excited about coming to school, and we want our parents to feel a part of the school community.”
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.