More than two-thirds of Hawai'i public schools that are under the most severe federal sanctions because of historically low test scores made significant gains in the latest Hawai'i State Assessment, an analysis shows.

Of the 24 schools that were under "restructuring," or takeover, by the state Department of Education, 17 made important gains this year. But just four had scores sufficient to meet the federal standard known as Adequate Yearly Progress.

A first round of scores released last month showed that 187 of the state's 282 public schools fell short of making Adequate Yearly Progress for the second year in a row, even though individual grade levels in many of those schools showed improvement. Overall, students improved in math and stayed virtually the same in reading. Still, of the students tested, fewer than three out of 10 demonstrated proficiency in math, and less than half showed proficiency in reading.

The statewide school assessment exam was taken last spring by 95,000 public school students, and only eight schools were able to lift themselves from sanctions. Ten more were added to the list of those facing takeover, and only one pulled itself from the restructuring list, which now stands at 50 based on the latest scores.

Despite the troubling numbers overall, school officials insist that areas of improvements over last year mean learning is occurring.

"We made history at 'Aiea," said a jubilant Ed Oshiro, principal of 'Aiea Elementary. Proficiency scores jumped 10 percentage points in reading for third-graders, 22 percentage points in reading for fifth-graders and 25 percentage points in math for fifth-graders.

"We made AYP for the first time."

Principals attribute improvements to everything from extra hours of after-school tutoring, to better communication between teachers on lesson plans, to new strategies suggested by companies hired by the state to work with failing schools.

OUTSIDE HELP

All the schools in restructuring are working with outside providers from three Mainland companies as well as local complex area superintendents.

Some schools, like Pa'ia Elementary on Maui, saw dramatic changes. For instance, among Pa'ia third-graders, proficiency in reading rose from 33 percent last year to 73 percent this year while the same group's proficiency in math rose from 30 percent a year ago to 83 percent this year.

"The teachers and parents and students are amazing," said temporary vice principal Laura Nakamura, standing in for principal Susan Alivado until early September.

With that kind of performance, the school made Adequate Yearly Progress.

ANOTHER SUCCESS

In another major turnaround, Palolo Elementary saw the reading proficiency of its third-graders rise from 31 percent a year ago to 43 percent this year, and the same group's math proficiency rise from 18 percent a year ago to 33 percent this year.

The school made AYP for the first time as well, and if it makes the benchmarks again next year, it will come out of restructuring. Principal Ruth Silberstein said one of the strategies for the coming year is to "focus intensely on those approaching proficiency to get them over the hump."

At Hana High & Elementary School on Maui, principal Richard Paul said his teachers are seeing tremendous success because they're targeting a few state standards each quarter rather than trying to teach all of them at once.

"We focus on certain standards that we cover schoolwide each quarter," said Paul. "So it's pacing yourself. We focus on certain standards this quarter, and the next quarter we add more."

LONGER DAYS

Hana is also experimenting with a modified week — four longer days of academic instruction with an hour and a half of tutoring at the end, plus a fifth day that's all arts. That fifth day gives Paul's core teachers a chance to plan lessons together that are intertwined to reinforce particular standards over and over again.

For some schools, making improvements has meant identifying the biggest need and finding strategies.

At 'Aiea Elementary, for instance, principal Oshiro is also finding that frequent testing is a valuable tool for refocusing teaching.

"With that assessment, we have the opportunity to see what we're doing right and where we need improvement and how it affects instruction," he said.

"And we can target the individuals on what they need to become proficient."

BETTER BEHAVIOR

Working with provider Edison Schools Inc., the entire school, kindergarten through 6th grade, works on understanding how to develop "constructed responses" — in which students explain how they arrived at their answer.

The entire school is also working on better behavior, said Oshiro, because the way students behave affects everyone's ability to learn.

"One of the things Edison stresses we work on is our student behavior plan," said Oshiro. "This year we finalized it, and we're putting it into practice now."

But the plan even had an impact last year as individual teachers used it in their classrooms, he said.

"We came up with three basic premises — take care of yourself, take care of others, and take care of this place," said Oshiro.

"Through consistency, we expect it to be a lot better and happier," he said, "and it should affect student learning."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.