[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   PASSAGE OF H.R. 6 AND THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN 
                             EDUCATION ACT

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to express my deep 
appreciation to my colleagues, Senators Kennedy, Pell, Kassebaum, and 
Jeffords for their efforts in securing passage of H.R. 6, the improving 
America's Schools Act. H.R. 6 represents literally thousands of hours 
of work by the members of the Senate Labor and Human Resources 
Committee and their staff. I think they all deserve special 
commendation.
  I am especially pleased that included in H.R. 6 is a reauthorization 
of the Native Hawaiian Education Act. Mr. President, the Native 
Hawaiian Education Act is one of the most important measures with which 
I have had the privilege of being affiliated. It is a measure which is 
premised upon raising the educational status on native Hawaiian 
children and youth to national parity. Yet it is also a measure which 
recognizes the importance of native Hawaiian culture, language, and 
traditions and the critical role that these values can play in the 
education of all native Hawaiian people.
  The Native Hawaiian Education Act had is origins in 1981, when the 
Senate authorized the Secretary of Education to submit a comprehensive 
report on native Hawaiian education to the Congress. The report, 
entitled the ``Native Hawaiian Educational Assessment Project'' was 
released in 1983 and Documented that native Hawaiians scored below 
parity with national norms on standardized achievement tests, were 
disproportionately represented in many negative social and physical 
statistics, indicative of special educational needs, and that their 
educational needs were related to their unique cultural situation, such 
a different learning styles and low-self-image.
  In recognition of these needs, the Congress enacted title IV of the 
Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School 
Improvement Amendments of 1988 to authorize and develop supplemental 
education programs to benefit native Hawaiians.
  The programs established under the act have been extraordinarily 
successful. The Kamehameha Schools Family-Based Preschools and the 
Higher Education Program, the Punana Leo Hawaiian Immersion Preschools, 
Pihana Na Mamo--the native Hawaiian special education project, and Na 
pua No'EAU--the center for gifted and Talented Native Hawaiians, have 
touched the lives of literally thousands of native Hawaiian children 
and their families.
  But despite these advancements, a recently released 10 year update of 
the native Hawaiian education assessment project found that many of the 
same educational needs still exist for native Hawaiians. Currently, 
native Hawaiian children and youth represent the single largest ethnic 
group within the state educational system, 23.6 percent, and their 
numbers are growing. Yet they represent more than 50 percent of youth 
committed to the Hawaiian Youth Correctional Facility. In special 
educational programs, Hawaiian students represent 32.7 percent of the 
total special education enrollment, with figures in some school 
districts approaching 42 percent. And in achievement tests of basic 
skills, Hawaiians score below national norms and scored the lowest of 
the four major ethnic groups in Hawaii.
  These are only a few examples of the over-representation of Hawaiian 
children and youth in the at-risk population. They are also indications 
of a school system that has failed to meet the needs of the native 
Hawaiian people. For example, for the school years 1989-1991, 
approximately 17 percent of Hawaiian students enrolled in their junior 
year were not enrolled for their senior year.
  In April 1993, the Indian Affairs Committee convened a 2-day native 
Hawaiian education summit, which brought together over 200 native 
Hawaiian educators, administrators, parents, students, and community 
leaders to collectively chart a course for the future of native 
Hawaiian education. The amendments to the Native Hawaiian Education Act 
contained in H.R. 6 reflect the recommendations which were issued forth 
from the summit.

  I believe it is imperative that a unified approach be taken so that 
each of the programs receiving funding under the Native Hawaiian 
Education Act do not provide duplicative services but rather coordinate 
the provision of services, and reach out to other educational and 
related programs. Because only with such a comprehensive approach can 
we best utilize our limited resources. That is why H.R. 6 contains 
provisions which establish a native Hawaiian education council, as well 
as individual island education councils, in order to ensure the input 
of native Hawaiian communities.
  On July 7, 1994, U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley met with 
representatives of the programs funded under the Native Hawaiian 
Education Act and other native Hawaiian educational programs. I wish to 
share with you the words that were offered to the Secretary by Ms. 
Haunani Apoliona, A native Hawaiian educator, singer and song writer, 
and a true native Hawaiian role model.

       Nearly 18 months ago all of us in this room and many more 
     who are not present today, returned to the bosom of Pauahi, 
     in gathering for the Native Hawaiian Education Summit, to 
     exchange both ancient and contemporary wisdom to assist us in 
     moving together to take what is only a first step in 
     collectively charting the journey of native Hawaiian 
     education into the 21st century.
       A context of concepts served as common starting points for 
     our discussion on Hawaiian education--which highlighted the 
     expectations for Native Hawaiian education:
       To prepare our youth and adults to recognize that 
     responsible jobs and rapidly changing occupational 
     requirements call for workers with the ability to read, 
     write, compute, analyze, solve problems, and exercise good 
     judgment in carrying out their duties.
       To promote the use of cognitive skills (induction, 
     deduction, critical thinking) through exposure to and 
     analysis of problems encountered and acquisition of basic 
     skills.
       To instill the appreciation for the dignity of work and its 
     importance in determining a standard of living and instill in 
     students the value of cooperation with others in order to 
     accomplish a task.
       To allow Hawaiian learning styles to influence how 
     curriculum is shaped and how teaching strategies are 
     accomplished, incorporating designs or educational programs 
     that strengthen family and generational interaction, building 
     on the strengths rather than on the deficits of families.
       To identify viable non-traditional approaches to a learning 
     environment that achieve measurable and high standards of 
     results as well as consider the equal partnership of both 
     academic and vocation education and for the Hawaiian.
       To achieve educational reform not by just focusing on 
     factors external to a child's educational experience but by 
     also addressing the attitudes, feelings and fears on the 
     inside of the child especially in the early years.
       We also noted at least two aspects that make Native 
     Hawaiian education special and distinct from other 
     populations:
       Aspect one, recognized the inclusion as well as consistent 
     lead that Hawaiian language and Hawaiian values must play in 
     Native Hawaiian education, education that begins even before 
     the child is born; and that the utilization of such Hawaiian 
     values and the striving for lokahi instills the wisdom and 
     enlighten perspective of inter-dependency between ourselves, 
     our environment and our spiritual forces promoting individual 
     responsibility for the good of the whole * * * all key 
     elements to the renewal of our people.
       Aspect two, committed and dedicated ourselves, our families 
     and communities, as Hawaiians, to the principle that 
     education is synonymous with life long learning--that 
     education takes on a different dimension and meaning, becomes 
     relevant for all stages of life, individually and 
     collectively, from before birth to the senior years.
       The vigorous exchange of ideas on what ingredient elements 
     must comprise Native Hawaiian education and what the vision 
     will be is framed in our collective voice, our collective 
     mele, resounding in the following statement of goals from the 
     Native Hawaiian Education Summit:
       ``The 'ohana (extended family) and Native Hawaiian 
     communities are essential to the success of Native Hawaiian 
     education and we therefore shall determine, shape and guide 
     the learning and education of our people.''
       ``We collectively shall shape an education system that 
     embraces, nurtures and practices our traditional foundation 
     as embodied in our language, culture, values and 
     spirituality.''
       ``That we collectively shall shape an education system that 
     empowers Native Hawaiians to be contributors, active 
     participants, and leaders in our local and global 
     communities.''
       We are prepared for the challenge and opportunity to chart 
     the voyage of Native Hawaiian education, guided by the wisdom 
     and work of Native Hawaiians for the benefit of Native 
     Hawaiians. We are poised to work together, to collaborate 
     among our people in assessment, planning and implementation 
     (i.e., embodied in the mechanism of the Education Council) 
     and with all partners (current and potential) who support and 
     contribute to the achievement of our mission. Our unique 
     legal and historic background with the United States 
     underscores the special responsibility and relationship 
     demonstrated by the U.S. Federal Government to Native 
     Hawaiians; a special responsibility that the U.S. can not 
     choose to abandon even in these difficult economic times.
       Our work has begun* * *.
       Put forward the paddle and draw it back.
       Go on with the task that is started and finish it.
       Let us work together, Natives of Hawai'i.
       This `olelo no'eau is shared in closing* * *.
       Let us move forward and drink of the bitter waters (the 
     challenging times) for we will not turn back, retreat (or 
     give up). Mahalo.

  Mr. President, I thank you for granting me this time.

                          ____________________