Hawaiʻi Math Scores Edge Up as Schools Work to Rebuild Academic Momentum

A small math gain with a larger message

Hawaiʻi public school students made modest progress in mathematics during the 2025-26 school year, according to results from the state Department of Education’s annual Strive HI report. Statewide math proficiency rose from 42.2% to 42.5%, marking the fourth consecutive year of improvement.

That increase is small, but the longer trend matters. Math proficiency is now close to the pre-pandemic level of 43.1%. The state’s 2029 target is 50%, so schools have made progress while still facing a meaningful gap.

For families, this is a reminder that academic recovery is usually measured over time, not in one dramatic jump. A student who is rebuilding foundational skills may need consistent practice with number sense, computation, problem-solving, and mathematical language before new concepts begin to feel secure.

Attendance is part of academic progress

Regular attendance also improved for the fourth consecutive year. The share of students attending at least 90% of school days rose to 76.8%, up from 66.1% in 2021-22. The department counts both excused and unexcused absences in this measure.

The report says students who attend regularly have substantially higher proficiency and graduation rates than students who do not. Attendance does not solve every academic challenge, but it gives students more opportunities to receive instruction, ask questions, practice skills, and benefit from timely intervention.

For parents and caregivers, attendance concerns are worth discussing early with a school—not waiting until missed work has accumulated. Teachers and tutors can help identify which lessons are most important to revisit and which skills should be prioritized first.

Language arts results slipped slightly

The news was less encouraging in language arts. Statewide proficiency declined from 53.8% to 53.2%, compared with a pre-pandemic level of 54.1%. Science proficiency remained near 44%.

The contrast between the math and language arts results is useful. It suggests that schools cannot rely on one broad recovery strategy for every subject. Students may need different kinds of support depending on whether they are struggling with reading comprehension, written expression, vocabulary, mathematical reasoning, or foundational skills.

The state’s 2029 language arts target is 65%, which is considerably higher than the current result. The Department of Education said it is emphasizing high-quality curriculum, targeted coaching and professional development, earlier identification of students needing support, and the use of student and instructional data to adjust strategies.

Lokelani Intermediate shows what progress can look like

Maui’s Lokelani Intermediate School was highlighted as a standout. Between 2022-23 and 2025-26, the school improved by at least five percentage points across its key performance indicators.

Its math proficiency increased from 21% to 29%, while academic growth in math reached 57%. Language arts proficiency rose from 39% to 44%, and science proficiency increased from 13% to 37%. Regular attendance improved from 61% to 71%.

These figures do not mean every student at the school had the same experience, but they do show that meaningful improvement can happen across several areas at once. The school’s year-over-year math academic growth increased by 17 percentage points, according to the report.

What families and educators can take from the results

The report offers encouragement without suggesting that the work is finished. Hawaiʻi was among the stronger-performing members reporting results in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, but statewide proficiency remains below the state’s 2029 goals. On-time graduation was 87% based on preliminary results for the Class of 2026, while postsecondary enrollment fell to 51% for the Class of 2025.

For students, the practical lesson is to treat gaps as specific and addressable. Instead of simply saying a student is “behind in math,” adults can ask: Which skills are secure? Where does the confusion begin? Can the student explain the reasoning, or only remember a procedure?

That kind of focused attention—combined with regular attendance, responsive teaching, and adjustments when a strategy is not working—can turn broad achievement goals into manageable next steps. The statewide numbers show improvement, but they also make clear that students will need sustained support as schools work toward the next level.