Our public charter schools seem to be doing something right, especially when it comes to Native Hawaiian students.

The proof comes in a new study by the Kamehameha Schools. Researchers tracked student performance in the Hawai'i State Assessment, and compared test scores in reading and math of students attending Hawaiian-focused charter schools against Hawaiian students in traditional DOE schools.

The results showed that between the eighth and 10th grades, scores for students at the Hawaiian-focused charter school jumped an average of 10.2 points. The Hawaiian students in regular public schools saw their reading averages drop 7.3 points.

In math, the Hawaiian charter school students saw their math scores go up by an average of 13.4 points. The Hawaiians in public schools scores went down by 0.9 point.

Teachers in Hawaiian charter schools deserve much of the kudos. According to Ku Kahakalau, co-founder of the Na Lei Na'auao, the Native Hawaiian charter school alliance, personal attention and care — what she refers to as an "aloha" attitude in education — makes all the difference. For example, when there are no "mean words" used in discipline, students take to a nurturing environment that makes them more responsive to learning.

The DOE downplays any comparison of scores between the small public charter schools and the large DOE public schools where many Native Hawaiians attend school. Robert McClelland, director of the DOE's systems accounting office, says it's like comparing "apples to oranges."

Indeed, they are two different settings. But they don't have to be.

The DOE should look into adapting some of the practices used in the Hawaiian charters for regular DOE schools.

That is, after all, one of the purposes of our charter schools — to serve as incubators, testing different ways of learning for the potential benefit of the entire school system.

The study also reveals how charter schools can accomplish much while working with far less in per-pupil dollars. Kahakalau says the charters continue to struggle financially, pointing out the need for more state funding. That should be addressed by the BOE immediately.

The test results show what charters can do with what little they have. Imagine the results if the Native Hawaiian charters were funded on a par with DOE schools.