Hawaii bill would turn students into published authors at Kalihi schools

Hawaii panel advances bill to turn Kalihi students into published authors

The Hawaii Senate Education Committee voted to advance legislation that would pilot a “Story Makers” program designed to have fifth-grade students write, illustrate and publish their own books as part of classroom literacy instruction. State Sen. Donna Kim, who is chair of the Senate Education Committee, framed the initiative as a project-based approach meant to build confidence and literacy skills, and she said the pilot would draw on culturally relevant models she has seen outside the public system.

Kim’s proposal would guide students through a structured process that includes researching topics, drafting and editing books, and sharing the finished work with the community. She said the Hawai‘i Department of Education would fund the collection, printing and binding of the books, and she described the aim as improving reading and writing while giving students a hands-on experience that supports self-esteem and pride. At the committee hearing, Kim also argued that lecture-style instruction does not match how many students learn best, saying lawmakers and educators need to change the way classes are taught.

Kim said she selected Kalihi for the pilot because the area mirrors the challenges she associates with many Title I schools in her district. She pointed to a high concentration of low-income households, a large share of English language learners, and an academic gap reflected in performance on state tests, as well as other local factors she said influence student engagement and attendance. Kalihi Waena Elementary serves about 414 students and, according to the reporting, includes about half of students who are Filipino and roughly a third from Pacific island nations, primarily Chuuk.

Kalihi Waena Elementary principal Daniel Larkin said the school’s students often enter with little background in formal literacy. He said roughly “a lot of students … have difficulty with English” and that “inference is not a strong suit,” adding that many students come in “like second grade, and never have seen a book in their life.” Larkin said that while the school’s test results still show difficulties, the students demonstrate growth over time and that they are ready for targeted support, noting that “When you start a program, it takes time for the results to happen,” especially “when you’re starting with kids like ours that are coming with almost nothing as a background.”

Support for the concept also came from other school leaders, with Kim pointing to the need to integrate any program into existing curricula rather than add a separate stand-alone requirement. In written testimony, Lanakila Elementary School principal Kerry Higa said publishing student work “fosters pride and ownership,” and that elevating local voices strengthens connections between families and schools. Principal Kelly Bart at Likelike Elementary School wrote that the program “would provide each student the opportunity to share their unique thoughts, culture, and dreams” and would serve as “a lifelong memory to be shared with their families or housed in the school library permanently.”

Despite those endorsements, the Hawai‘i Department of Education said it could not support the bill in its current form. The department cited existing literacy initiatives already under way in Kalihi and budget constraints; reporting from the hearing said the department pointed to extensive literacy work underway through the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant. Heidi Armstrong, the deputy superintendent for academics, told lawmakers the agency cannot back the proposal as written and said the department wants continued collaboration.

During last week’s hearing, Sen. Samantha DeCorte criticized the Department of Education’s opposition, saying lawmakers were “not really giving our students a fighting chance” and calling it disheartening that the agency would oppose “something as simple as a student’s book.” Kim, meanwhile, pressed Armstrong about advocacy for students in Title I schools and argued that removing hands-on learning programs can drive students away from school and reduce opportunities to learn.

The committee’s vote to advance the bill included amendments intended to address the department’s concerns about duplication and implementation. Reporting on the hearing said the changes included integrating the “Story Makers” effort into existing curricula and structuring it as a capstone project rather than a standalone initiative, with Kim saying the approach could align with what students already learn while still giving them an opportunity to create and become “a published author.”