Education Department Provides More Than $3.4 million in Grants for Native Hawaiian Education Programs

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded more than $2.7 million to eight vocational education programs on Oahu and on the ’big island’ of Hawaii to support career and technical education efforts helping Native Hawaiians. The grants are awarded under the Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP), which provides assistance to projects aimed at increasing vocational enrollment and course completion by Native Hawaiian students. Five of the NHCTEP grants are being awarded to programs operated by ALU LIKE, Inc., the statewide non-profit service organization for Native Hawaiians.

Additionally, a $692,432 grant to Honolulu’s Kapiolani Community College under the Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program will help increase rates of course success and raise the number of students completing associate degrees. Funds awarded under this program may be used to strengthen an institution’s academic quality and expand its capacity to serve low-income students.

“The Obama Administration is committed to providing support to increase college completion rates, and Hawaiians will contribute to the President’s goal of America once again having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “What students learn through these programs will help them in Hawaii, and provide an education they can use to compete globally.”

A list of NHCTEP grantees and grants is provided below:

ALU LIKE, Inc. – Hawaii Community College, Hilo -- $295,340
ALU LIKE, Inc. – Castle High School Health Careers Academy, Honolulu -- $263,364
ALU LIKE, Inc. – Hawaii Technology Institute, Honolulu -- $437,212
ALU LIKE, Inc. – Honolulu Community College, Honolulu -- $363,356
Saint Louis School, Honolulu -- $243,127
University of Hawaii, Honolulu -- $282,104
ALU LIKE, Inc. – Leeward Community College, Pearl City-- $352,780
Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health and Hospital Board, Waianae -- $498,546

###