Student Achievement
Each year, all students in grades 3-8 and grade 11 take the Hawaii State Assessments (HSA) in language arts and mathematics. Hawaii administers Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA) in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. Science achievement is assessed via the HSA Science (NGSS) assessments in grades 5 and 8 along with a Biology I end of course examinations for high school students. In addition, the Hawaii State Alternate Assessment (HSA-Alt) and the Kaiapuni Assessment of Educational Outcomes (KAEO), a Hawaiian Language assessment, are administered to eligible students in Language Arts, mathematics and science. This page examines both student performance on the state standards as well as the extent all eligible students complete testing. Data as of 2022-2023. Due to COVID-19, Hawaii public schools were waived from 2020 statewide testing by the U.S. Department of Education. As a result, a number of test-derived results are not available for 2020.
Achievement by subject
Language arts, mathematics and science achievement are based on the percent of students meeting and exceeding standards/proficiency.
Language Arts
What does this mean?
Percent of full school year students tested who met and exceeded standards (proficiency) on the ELA and Hawaiian language arts assessments.
How was this calculated?
The denominator is comprised of language arts assessment results for full school year students that received a valid test score. This includes valid ELA results on SBA or HSA-Alt for grades 3-8 and 11; and KAEO language arts results for grades 3-8. The numerator consists of the number of students who are proficient. Note that due to rounding this may not exactly match adding up Level 3 and Level 4 percentages.
Math
What does this mean?
Percent of full school year students tested who met and exceeded standards (proficiency) on the mathematics assessments.
How was this calculated?
The denominator is comprised of mathematics assessment results for full school year students that received a valid test score. This includes valid math results on SBA for grades 3-8 and 11; HSA-Alt for grades 3-8 and 11; and KAEO results for grades 3-8. The numerator consists of the number of students who are proficient. Note that due to rounding this may not exactly match adding up Level 3 and Level 4 percentages.
Science
What does this mean?
Percent of full school year students tested who met and exceeded standards (proficiency) on the science assessments.
How was this calculated?
The denominator is comprised of science assessment results for full school year students that received a valid test score. This includes valid science results on the NGSS assessment in grades 5 and 8; and HSA-Alt for grades 5, 8 and 11. For the Biology end-of-course exam the denominator is all students enrolled in Biology 1. The numerator consists of the number of students who are proficient. Note that due to rounding this may not exactly match adding up Level 3 and Level 4 percentages.
Achievement over time
Achievement over time
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Language Arts
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Math
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Science
What does this mean?
This chart illustrates the percentage of full school year students who annually met standards/proficiency in language arts, mathematics and science.
Due to COVID-19, Hawaii public schools were waived from 2020 statewide testing by the U.S. Department of Education. As a result, a number of test-derived results are not available for 2020.
School year 2020-21 was the first year of an operational assessment based on the recently adopted Next Generation Science Standards and therefore cannot be compared to the scores from previous science assessments.
Achievement breakdown by subject and achievement level
These charts illustrate language arts, mathematics and science achievement across four achievement levels: well-below (Level 1), approaches (Level 2), meets (Level 3) and exceeds (Level 4).
Achievement breakdown by subject and race/ethnicity
These charts illustrate language arts, mathematics and science percentages of students meeting and exceeding standards by Hawaii's major race/ethnicity groups.
Achievement breakdown by subject and student group
These charts illustrate language arts, mathematics and science percentages of students meeting and exceeding standards by high needs categories that include economically disadvantaged, English learners and special education students.
Assessment participation by subject
Schools are expected to assess all students eligible for testing. High participation rates help to ensure valid results and valid representation of all students and student subgroups. Participation rates below 95% for all students and for subgroups negatively impact proficiency rates via a participation rate penalty.
Language Arts
What does this mean?
The language arts participation rate is based on full school year students in grades 3-8 and 11 who took the state language arts assessment.
How was this calculated?
The language arts participation rate is calculated as the number of eligible students enrolled in grades 3-8 and 11 who took the statewide test divided by the total number of eligible students enrolled in grades 3-8 and 11 at the school. Students must have been enrolled on the Participation Rate Count Date to be considered eligible.
Math
What does this mean?
The mathematics participation rate is based on full school year students in grades 3-8 and 11 who took the state mathematics assessment.
How was this calculated?
The mathematics participation rate is calculated as the percent of eligible students enrolled in grades 3-8 and 11 who took the statewide test divided by the total number of eligible students enrolled in grades 3-8 and 11 at the school. Students must have been enrolled on the Participation Rate Count Date to be considered eligible.
Science
What does this mean?
The science participation rate is based on full school year students in grades 5 and 8 who took the NGSS science assessment. At high school, participation rate is based on students enrolled in Biology and all eligible 11th graders for the HSA-Alt.
How was this calculated?
The science participation rate is calculated as the percent of eligible students enrolled in grades 5 and 8 who took the statewide test divided by the total number of eligible students enrolled in grades 5 and 8. Students must have been enrolled on the Participation Rate Count Date to be considered eligible. At high school, participation rate accounts for those enrolled in Biology and all eligible 11th graders for the HSA-Alt.
Alternate assessment participation by subject
HSA-Alt participation results include the percentage of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in alternate assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement standards by grade-level and subject.
Language Arts alternate assessment participation
What does this mean?
HSA-Alt participation results include the number and percentages of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in alternate assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement standards by grade and subject.
How was this calculated?
The rate is based on the number of students administered the HSA-Alt over the total number of students enrolled on the Participation Rate Count Date who were assessed in that subject.
Math alternate assessment participation
What does this mean?
HSA-Alt participation results include the number and percentages of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in alternate assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement standards by grade and subject.
How was this calculated?
The rate is based on the number of students administered the HSA-Alt over the total number of students enrolled on the Participation Rate Count Date who were assessed in that subject.