H.C.R. NO. 101 Summary

• Urges the Department of Education to increase family engagement in Micronesian communities in Hawaii's schools.

• Requests the Department of Education conduct outreach to Micronesian families to help parents understand Hawaii's education system and identify barriers to educational success.

• Notes that Micronesian students are suspended at rates four times higher than Japanese students and twice as high as Caucasian and Filipino students, and comprise the largest percentage of chronically absent students (33% absenteeism rate in 2015-2016).

• Requests the Department of Education partner with Pacific Resources for Education and Learning and AFFECT (Activating Educators Focus on Family Engagement as Central to Teaching) to develop programs advancing family engagement in Micronesian communities.

• Cites language barriers, unfamiliarity with American academic culture, and lack of staff knowledge about Micronesian culture as key challenges to parental engagement and student success.