1. Patrick J. Woo-Ching
An Academic State of Emergency:
How Pacific IslanderStudentsfare in WashingtonState
Schools
December13, 2014
(Part 1)
Revised - March 15, 2015.
Prepared by:
Patrick J. Woo-Ching
Fetu Ta’iala Learning Center
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 878
Kingston, WA. 98346
360-620-7657

2. 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to acknowledge and express my gratitude to two individuals who have
unequivocally and equally dedicated their time to this cause—raising attention to the devastating
downward spiral of academic performance of Pacific Islander students in Washington State
schools. Juvenile Detention Officers John Villesvik and Robert Ellingsen. Both gentlemen are my
co-workers at the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD). Both Officers
Villesvik and Ellingsen have served at DAJD for many years. John and Robert have worked with at-
risk and disadvantaged youths in the community as well. I’m grateful for their assistance in
helping with the editing of this document. I am grateful for their contributions and friendship.
This addition of the revision was written because of people who I left out who deserved to
be acknowledged in helping me with this report. When I first shed the light on the focus of this
report in 2002, my thoughts back then—“There were other Pacific Islanders in high places who
can deal with the problem.” Therefore, I decided to go on with life. I was motivated and inspired
by the comprehensive report by professors David T. Takeuchi, Ph.D., and Shirley Hune, Ph.D.
(2009), Growing Presence, Emerging Voices: Pacific Islanders & Academic Achievement in
Washington, which made me change my attitude and how I viewed the low academic
performance of Pacific Islander students. My thoughts after reading their report—“Wow, it’s
been thirteen years and the problem still has not been dealt with and it’s getting worse year after
year… I had to do something.” I met with Dr. Hune and from our first meeting, she shared with
me her professional wisdom on how to contact research. “Fa’afetai tele and I’m truly grateful for
your advice.”
Last but not least, a special “Fa’afetai tele (Thank you)” to a dear friend and co-worker,
Juvenile Detention Officer Marlo Flores. For many years, Marlo has helped me edited letters to
U.S. Senators, Department of the Army, and Universities to name a few. She has an amazing
talent and a sharp eye for details. I’m grateful for her assistance over the years.

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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................3
Purpose................................................................................................................3
PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN WASHINGTON STATE ...................................................................5
Overview...............................................................................................................5
Cultureand Beliefs...................................................................................................7
Income Inequality and Socioeconomics .........................................................................9
PACIFIC ISLANDER STUDENTS IN WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOLS........................................12
Misrepresentation.................................................................................................12
Pacific Islander Student Achievement..........................................................................13
The Early Stages....................................................................................................16
The Unseen and the Voiceless...................................................................................19
RECOMMENDATION...............................................................................................21
References ..........................................................................................................22

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to raise awareness of the devastating downward spiral of
academic achievement of Pacific Islander (PI) students in Washington State Schools. Their
academic struggle dates as far back as the early 1970s. As time passes, low academic
performance, high dropout rates and school suspensions continues to worsen without much
consideration on how to reverse such trend.
During my undergraduate studies at the University of Washington School of Social Work, I
first shed light on this problem in 2002, when I wrote an essay focusing on Samoan student in the
Seattle Public Schools. After further investigation, I concluded that their lack of academic
performance and other issues affecting their educational development constitute what I believe is
an “academic state of emergency.” In the thirteen years since, I reexamined the issues, and found
a lack of improvement in PI students’ accomplishment. In most cases, PI students are at the
bottom of the academic achievement scale in Washington State secondary schools. Furthermore,
the PI subgroups, Samoans (7%) show the lowest percentage of those having a Bachelor’s degree
or higher compared to Native Hawaiians, Tongans, and Guamanians (16%, 13% and 13%
respectively) (Takeuchi and Hune, 2008).
Pacific Islander students have often been overlooked in educational research. One major
contributing factor is the misrepresentation of PI students in Washington State schools and in the
United States. In early 2000, the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
(OSPI) categorized Asian American and Pacific Islander students into one category as
“Asian/Pacific Islander (API)” students. The unintended consequence of combining Asian
American and Pacific Islander students, for a long time, has masked the real need and urgency for
academic interventions for PI students. Findings suggest that Pacific Islander students in
Washington are at a great disadvantage with lower levels of academic performance and school
engagement. Hence, whenever their data are combined into one category, Asian Americans
predominate and the representation of Pacific Islanders is lost. Treating the two groups as a single
community of Asian Pacific Islander Americans hinders an examination of the distinctiveness of
Pacific Islander students and their educational experience (Hune and Yeo, 2010). In 2007, OSPI
disaggregated its data and “Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI)” students were
classified as “Pacific Islander” students.
Pacific Islanders students are no different from their peers at schools. However, PI
students have a distinctive identification due to their culture and beliefs. Their cultural identity is

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practiced at home, church and other places where Pacific Islanders gather for community events.
I will discuss some of the culture and beliefs and how our cultural identity influence the way PI
parents view education. Our cultural identity sometimes conflicts with western traditions,
especially when communicating and comprehending the English language. With difficulty
understanding the English language, some PI parents may be unaware of other issues affecting
their children’s education.
I know firsthand the negative effects of being labeled “different.” Personally I was
diagnosed with a learning disability, in combination with cultural challenges it can often seem like
an uphill battle.
It is not uncommon for PI parents to withdraw when feeling intimidated around their
children’s educational environment. The result—the attention on issues concerning their
children’s education are ignored. Many PI parents may not realize that their children may have a
learning disability, or have no clue of what a learning disability is or how to get the proper
assistance. Other issues that may exacerbate academic performance may include mental illness
and homelessness. I will further discuss these issues later in the document and highlight the need
for more research.
In the era of technological advancement, every student should have a better chance of
flourishing in the classroom. However, this is not the case for PI students. Pacific Islanders
students continue to struggle. Given the available data and the lack of intervention to combat
their continuous low academic achievement, the long term impact on this segment of our
community is immeasurable.
As a concerned PI parent who wants to initiate change, I believe the Pacific Islander
community will need help from all stakeholders; government, private and local agencies, to aid us
in combating this enormous issue. If left alone, this trend could expand to erode our fundamental
values of family, faith and community. If “It takes a village to raise a child” then the Pacific
Islander community will need to partner with all stakeholders to achieve a “No child left behind”
state of affairs. The urgency and the call to action for intervention cannot be delayed any longer!

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PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN WASHINGTON STATE
OVERVIEW
In 1997, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget issued a standard requiring the
collection of ethnic data in Federal surveys and a new category was established for Native Hawaii
or Other Pacific Islander. In the 2000 U.S. Census, the Federal Government established a category
for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI), including Native Hawaiian, Samoan,
Guamanian or Chamorro, Fijian, Tongan, or Marshallese peoples and encompasses the people
with the United States jurisdictions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia (U.S. Census, 2000
Brief). For the purpose of this document, the term “Pacific Islander” refers to a person having
origins in Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
The Pacific Islands, also called “Oceania” consist of three distinct island groups in the vast
Pacific Ocean; Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Most Pacific Islander families immigrated to
the United States in search of a better life for themselves and their children. However, for many
families, the concept of the “American Dream” cameto be in direct competition with their
traditions and beliefs. Although Pacific Islanders faced intimidating challenges toward
assimilation, their cultural concept of community provided valuable support… Children are taught
that they are part of an extended family… Cooperation starts in the home, continues at the village
level and on throughout the island (Swain, n.d.).
Most parents of first and second generation PI families who moved to the U.S. have
trouble mastering the English language. According to the NEA (National Education Association),
language barriers in attaining services, including education and health care is one of many Pacific
Islander face. The language barrier among PI parents makes it difficult for them to navigate or
access the proper systems for their families. The shame of not understanding or speaking proper
English compel parents to withdrawal from seeking help for their children, especially when
inquiring help in their children’s education. Pacific Islanders see teachers as professionals with
authority over their children’s schooling; they believe that parents are not supposed to interfere
with school process… Educators then must explain, patiently, that parent’s involvement is a
tradition in American Education… Another tension in communication barrier is between
predominantly native language speaking parents and predominantly English speaking children
(Power, 1990; Huang, n.d.).
Recent estimates show that Pacific Islanders total 1,332,494 in the United States with
75,252 or 0.6% in Washington State (U.S. Census: Population Division, 2013). Pacific Islanders are
spread out in fourteen of thirty-nine counties in Washington State. In Table 1, Pierce County has

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the highest population of Pacific Islander. Tacoma school districts having the highest dropout rate
(see Table 5) in the state compared to other school districts with PI student population.
Table 1. Percent of the total Populationwho are Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders
Alone, 2013 (Geography: Washington)
Washington Counties
Population
Percentile
Margin of Error
Pierce 1.4 +/- 0.1
Grays Harbor 1.3 +/- 1.0
King 0.8 +/- 0.1
Kitsap 0.8 +/- 0.4
Clark 0.7 +/- 0.3
Island 0.7 +/- 0.5
Snohomish 0.5 +/- 0.1
Benton, Chelan, Grant, Skagit,
Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, Yakima
Below 0.5
Source: 2013 American Community Survey 1 Year Estimates. Percent of the total population who are Native Hawaiian and Other
Pacific Islander Alone. Table GCT0205.

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CULTURE AND BELIEFS
Pacific Islanders are proud of their culture and heritage. In the Samoan culture, their
communal way of life is based on the “Fa’asamoa” or the Samoan way. They strongly believe in
family unity. The “Matai (ma-tie)” or chief is customarily the head of family. The “Matai system”
or counsel of chiefs sets the internal and external structure and affairs of a village. For example,
the matais formulates the expectations and the regulations of the village for its common good as
a whole. Their authority extends as far as expelling an individual or a family from the village for
violation of village laws. The presence of the matai system in villages fosters strong “Aiga” or
extended family ties and the reason why family titles can only be passed down directly in a
family’s bloodline.
Thus, the matais are the gatekeeper of villages. Whenever the trust is broken by an
individual, the offender’s family matai prepares an “Ifoga (ee-ah tong-ah)”. The Ifoga is a public
humiliation in return for forgiveness and reconciliation. The ceremony is significant as a social and
economic activity because the successful performance of the ifoga prevents escalation of socially
and economically disruptive inter-group conflicts (Macpherson, C. & Macpherson, L, n.d.).
Another traditional ceremony that is practiced throughout Oceania is the Kava or Ava
ceremony. The Kava or Ava ceremony is reserved only for honor or special occasion, such as
welcoming dignitaries. The ceremony itself is important to the Samoan culture. In its traditional
and contemporary form, the art of tattooing or body piercing has brought the spotlight on the
Pacific arts and crafts.
Tattooing in the Pacific is dated back to 2000 B.C. Different subgroups within the three
major ethnic groups have different meaning or purpose of tattooing. Generally speaking, getting
tattooed is a rite of passage. For example, in the Samoan culture a “Pe’a or Soga’imiti” is a male
who has a traditional body tattoo and earned his place in the gathering of chiefs. The art itself is
extremely painful when applied to the body and it is a symbol of courage. An unfinished tattoo
bears a scar of embracement. There is so much more culture rooted in the history of the Pacific it
can only be discussed separately.
The struggle of not understanding the fundamental concepts of two cultures, between
children born in the U.S and to parents born in Samoa, makes it difficult for the younger
generation to follow or practice the fa’asamoa. One clear factor in this “struggle” is the younger
generation being unaware of Samoan history and culture. To explore how much and what the
younger generation knew about the Samoan culture, I presented a “Heritage Day,” following the
presentation was a Q&A with Samoan youth and their parents. The youth were enthusiastic and
wanted to have more similar presentations and practices of traditional arts in the future.

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Furthermore, the parents overwhelmingly supported the idea of having programs to teach the
Samoan language, culture and values to their children. The non-Samoan speaking parents were
interested in learning the Samoan history and language as well. For too long, they lament, too
many of their children failed to graduate from high school and grab a solid piece of the American
dream, and instead were drawn into low-paying jobs and gangs (Los Angeles Times, 2000).
Cultural identity is very important to Pacific Islanders because of the uniqueness of their culture
and history and preserving our identity is through our children.
Having completed my secondary education in Samoa, I know how important language and
culture is in shaping educational development. My culture was a primary motivating factor. I
realized my education would be the one thing that I was responsible for. Making the connection
with the western style of education with my native language and culture was a challenge but
worth overcoming. In the end, my culture and beliefs gave me a sense of hope and motivation to
continue learning.
Finding ways to improve education and closing the achievement gap for poor students in
poor neighborhood schools has been a major priority of our government and every major school
district in the country. The cost of education reform continues to climb with very insignificant
gains. Evidence supports that the practice of combing cultural principals with western style
education has shown significant improvement in student’s emotional, behavioral and cognitive
engagement.
Culture-based education (CBE) is defined as “the grounding of instruction and student
learning in the value, norms, knowledge, beliefs, practices, experiences, and language that are the
foundation of a culture (Takayama & Ledward, 2009). This approach to learning enhances and
fosters relationships between students and parents, parents and school officials and the PI
community. It is imperative to engage parents in their children’s learning experience, especially in
the early stages of learning development. Fetu Ta’iala Learning Center will implement this
practice into its curriculum to achieve its goal of improving the academic performance and closing
the achievement gap of PI students.

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INCOME INEQUALITY AND SOCIOECONOMICS
Pacific Islanders are often overlooked in bureaucratic discussions due to several factors.
“Out of sight, out of mind” is a cliché best describing Pacific Islanders in the political arena due to
the lack of their political voice. Another factor is the lumping together of Pacific Islanders with
Asian Americans. This is especially true when examining the educational achievement of Pacific
Islanders. A consequence of the “lumping together” with Asian American is that it makes invisible
the unique strengths and challenges within the Pacific Islander community. Pacific Islanders have
histories, cultures, and social circumstances distinct from those of Asian Americans… (Takeuchi &
Hune, 2008).
Recent estimates indicate that there are more than one million Pacific Islanders in the U.S.
with approximately 0.6% of its total population residing in Washington State. In 2011,
approximately 21.5% of Pacific Islanders in Washington State live in poverty, which is much higher
than the national rate of 17.6%. Within this group, poverty rates ranged from a low of 6.4% for
Fijians to a high of about 18.0% for Samoan and Tongans (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011
American Community Survey). Samoans have the highest rate of poverty in Washington State.
One in five Samoans live below the poverty line. Samoans have the lowest median household
income and per capita income relative to other Pacific Islander subgroups in the state. Recent
estimates show that Pacific Islanders earn on average $18,282.00 (per capita income) annually;
13.9% living on social security; 7.6% on public assistance and 32% receiving food stamps/SNAP
benefits (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2012 American Survey 3-Year Estimates).
In King County, Pacific Islander totaled 13,833 or 0.8% of its population. However, 17.6% of
PI population are below poverty (American Community Survey – 2011 Five Year Estimate). In a
2007-08 Seattle Public School report, 77% of Samoan students qualified for free or reduced fee
lunch and 44% were not living with both parents. Despite of their challenges, Pacific Islanders are
viewed as a family and community orientated society. It is not uncommon for PI families to take in
additional relatives or another entire family unit, even though the host family is facing financial
hardships of their own. This noble practice is rooted in our culture and values.
Table 2, illustrates the Pacific Islander subgroups poverty level in the U.S and Washington
State. Their low income presents PI families with the constant fear for survival. Therefore,
pressure is placed on the children to contribute in any way they can. Struggling with low grades
and the pressure of survival, PI students quit school to help out, which is apparent from the
dropout rates presented in Table 4. The income disparity and high level of poverty, the struggle
for survival among PI families creates a sense of hopelessness. Hopelessness, coupled with other
social pressures, understandably contributes to declining academic performance. A trend is

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started which ripples throughout the community, into future generations with ever more
devastating effects.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.Table DP-3.Profile of Selected Economic Characteristic 2000.Data Set: Census 2000
SummaryFile 4 (SF 4) Sample data (1-in-6 households).
Children in families with low incomes are less likely to enter school well-prepared for
success because of limited access to high quality child care, early education, and health care;
greater demands on parental attention; and more stressful family and neighborhood
circumstances (United Way of King County, 2014). It is commonly acknowledged that parents are
a child’s first teacher. Studies have indicated that parent’s engagement in their children’s learning
can greatly increase a child’s success in school and into adulthood. Reality is, the goal of getting PI
parents involved in their children’s learning is weakened by the fact that PI families are struggling
socioeconomically. Issues facing PI parents, include the inability or limited understanding of the
English language which affects their children’s well-being, school readiness and performance.
Such struggles may lead to their children being held back and increases the likelihood of dropping
out from school.
Despite our overall presence, service and contributions to the United States, Pacific
Islander students and their families are underrepresented and underserved in Washington State
and the U.S. Pacific Islanders services to the United States dates back to World War II. Their
strong presence (249%, compared to 43% of blacks, 44% of whites and 53% of Native Americans)
in the U.S. military is a show of gratitude and honor to the U.S. Government for their long
diplomatic relationships. In recent U.S. military led campaigns, Pacific Islanders had a casualty rate
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Total PI Native
Hawaiian
Samoan Tongan Guamanian Fijian
Table 2
Percentage of Individuals Below Poverty Level by PI Ethnic
Groups in the United States and Washington, 2000
US WA

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of 36 deaths per million which exceeded that of any U.S. state (White House Initiative on Asian
American & Pacific Islander (WHIAAPI), n.d.).
Given the high poverty level, low income earnings and the lack of political representation,
Pacific Islanders are underrepresented and underserved in Washington State and in the United
State. Even though, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders race/ethnic groups were separate in
2000, most national data still reflects the two groups as one--API (Asian Pacific Islander). This
misrepresentation has real consequence for Pacific Islander students and their families.

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PACIFIC ISLANDER STUDENTS IN WASHINGTON
STATE SCHOOLS
It was a challenge compiling this document due to the lack of national data on education
specific to Pacific Islander students. Almost all of the national data still shows “Asian Pacific
Islander (API)” as one race/ethnicity group. Thus, Pacific Islander students are under studied in
educational research. The majority of the data in this section are from the Washington State
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). In 2007, the OPSI disaggregated its data.
Due to the lack of national data and inadequate assessment of PI students in Washington State
schools, PI students are misrepresented and underserved.
MISREPRESENTATION
For a long time, the categorization of “Asian/Pacific Islander” students as one
race/ethnicity group in Washington State schools obscured the longstanding issue of PI students’
low academic achievement. Unfortunately, the myth of homogeneous ‘Asian Pacific’ race persists,
and the use of ‘API’ data suggests that statistics on ‘Asian Pacific Islander’ reflect the conditions of
both Asians and Pacific Islander. They don’t (Riley, 2013). The unintentional consequence of
lumping Asian American and Pacific Islander students together was a disservice to Pacific Islander
students and their families. In 2007, the State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
(OSPI) separated Asian American and Pacific Islander students into its own category. Now that the
data is disaggregated, it is my hope that Pacific Islander students and their families will be part of
the conversation of inequality in education, social and economic injustice. The continuation of
neglecting to resolve the issues facing the Pacific Islander students will unmistakable have a huge
negative effect on the social and wellbeing of Washington State, as its population continues to
grow. Therefore, narrowing the achievement gap, reducing the dropout rate and improving the
academic performance among PI students is critical and the Fetu Ta’iala Learning Center highest
priority.

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PACIFIC ISLANDER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
The next several tables illustrate the reality of PI students’ achievement in Washington
State secondary education after the data were separated.
Table 3 illustrates Pacific Islander students’ state HSPE/WASL results in mathematics of
Level 4 Meeting Standard % in 2007, 2008 and 2009 were (6.3%, 3.8%, and 7.1% respectively),
compared to Asian students (24.6%, 15.5% and 30.2% respectively). In school year 2010 and 2011
state HSPE/WASL in science, Asian students (11.8%), and PI students (1.4%); in reading, Asian
student (63.2%), PI students (30.2%). There were significant changes in academic achievement
results of PI students in math, science and reading after the disaggregated of data, validating the
urgency for academic intervention for PI students. Their academic downward spiral continues into
school year 2012, 2013 with 37.1% and 31.1% (respectively) in reading. The gaps between
Samoan and other groups of high school students are large, reaching 33% of difference in reading
and 29% in writing when compared with the statewide average. Of Samoan high school students,
86% are failing in math and none of them are passing in science... Without immediate educational
support, including math enhancement programs Samoan students, educational opportunities for
Samoan students may be significantly limited or denied (Takeuchi and Hune, 2008).
Source: OSPI – HSPE/WASL AssessmentGrade 10 by Sub-Group (Level 4 Meeting Standard %). Asian/Pacific
Islander,Asian,Pacific Islander
Table 4 illustrates 2010-11 graduation and dropout rates among several ethnic groups.
Pacific Islanders had both the lowest graduation rate (62.3%) and the highest dropout rate
(19.9%). These numbers are based on an adjusted cohort rate.
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
Aisan/Pacific Islander 26.0% 23.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Asian 26.0% 23.3% 24.6% 15.5% 30.2% 11.8% 63.2%
Pacific Islander 26.0% 23.3% 6.3% 3.8% 7.1% 1.4% 30.2%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Table 3
HSPE/WASL Assessment 10th Grade Level 4 Meeting Standard %
in
Math, Science & Reading

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DEFINITIONS
 Adjusted Cohort:
A group of students identified as beginning ninth grade in a specified year who are
expected to complete their schooling within a four year period of time. Students
are included in the cohort based on when they first enter ninth grade, regardless
of their expected graduation year.
 Dropout:
Students identified as entering ninth grade for the first time in 2010-11 who
reported as dropouts within four-year timeframe are reported in the year in which
they dropped out.
Since 2007, PI students have the highest dropout rate in the state for three consecutive
years. This data shows that Samoan students continue to have the highest dropout rate and
consistently low academic performance.
Source: OSPI – Graduation and DropoutStatistics Annual Report2012-13.
Table 5 illustrates the high rate of Pacific Islander dropouts relative to other ethnic groups
statewide and in local school districts.
76.0% 79.4% 84.1%
65.6% 65.4% 62.3%
13.0% 11.3% 7.3%
18.8% 18.2% 19.9%
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
All White Asian Hispanic Black Pac.
Islander
Table 4
Graduation & Dropout Rate
Graduation Dropout

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Source: OSPI Dropout – Annual Dropout Percentage Rate (Aggregate): Seattle Public Schools, Federal Way School
District,Tacoma School Districtand State.
Table 6 illustrates the results of the MSP (Measurement of Student Progress) and HSPE
(High School Proficiency Exam) broke down into certain ethnic group. In Washington schools,
students are required to pass all four subject in order to graduate high school. It is evident that PI
students struggle in these core subjects. Low test scores, course failure, and grade retention have
all been found to be strongly associated with leaving schools (Tyler & Lofstrom, 2009). In math and
science, the PI students’ average scores are below 25%. Scores this low not only fail to graduate
students who stay in school, but also increase the chances that students may choose to drop out,
as has happened among the PI community. This is more evidence of the current academic state of
emergency.
Source: OSPI – MeasurementofStudent Progress (MSP) for grade 3 through 8, and High School Proficiency
Exam (HSPE) over the school year 2009-10.
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
Seattle Federal Way Tacoma State
Table 5
2010 Dropout Rates
Overall White Asian Pac. Islander
READING MATH WRITING SCIENCE
All 79% 45% 86% 45%
White 84% 47% 89% 52%
Asian 83% 57% 90% 52%
Pac. Islander 57% 23% 78% 20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Table 6
MSP and HSPE performance, (2009-10)

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THE EARLY STAGES
In the early 70s, PI students sat in Seattle Public schools classrooms struggling every day
because they did not understand the English language. Furthermore, there were no bilingual
classrooms available in the 1960s and 1970s. According to the National Research Council,
“academic success” as defined by high school graduation, can be predicted with reasonable
accuracy by knowing someone’s reading skills at the end of third grade. A person who is not at
least a modestly skilled reader by that time is unlikely to graduate from high school (Annie E.
Casey Foundation, 2010). Although, PI parents are hopeful and doing the best they can to see
their children succeed, they face an uphill battle. Most of first and second generations of Samoan
parents who were educated on the islands have limited English proficiency. Thus, presents
another issue for PI students which are revealed by their aggregate test scores in Table 3.
As I mentioned, a possible correlation to low test scores and academic performance of PI
students could be learning disability. As a Samoan parent and someone with a learning disability, I
know how a learning disability can seriously impact one’s learning development. This is another
example of “cultural clash” because most PI parents are unaware if their child has a learning
deficiency, or where to get help. Furthermore, often PI parents view a child with a learning
deficiency as nothing more than being an ignorant child, or culturally the child is labeled “valea”
or stupid. My wife and I have firsthand experience as we have a child with a learning disability,
and we know how much work we put in to make sure our child is successful.
According to the Child Development Institute, there is no clear or widely accepted
definition of “learning disabilities.” However, there are four factors to define learning disability:
1. The learning disabled have difficulties with academic achievement and progress.
Discrepancies exist between a person’s potential for learning and what she actually
learns.
2. The learning disabled show an uneven patter of development (language development,
physical development, academic development and/or perceptual development).
3. Learning problems are not due to environmental disadvantage.
4. Learning problems are not due to mental retardation or emotional disturbance.
 Early warning signs:
Children with learning disabilities exhibit a wide range of symptoms. These include
problems with reading, mathematics, comprehension, writing, spoken language, or
reasoning abilities. Learning disabilities typically affect five general areas:

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1. Spoken language: delays, disorders, and deviations in listening and speaking.
2. Written language: difficulties with reading, writing and spelling.
3. Arithmetic: difficulty in performing arithmetic operations or in understanding basic
concepts.
4. Reasoning: difficulty in organizing and integrating thoughts.
5. Memory: difficulty in remembering information and instructions.
In 2009, the Washington State legislature established the development of “WaKIDS
(Washington Kindergarten Inventory Development Skills).” WaKIDS evaluates kindergarteners in
their early learning skills prior to entering first grade, and includes three components: building
family connections, assessing students’ development levels, and collaborating with early learning
providers. The purpose of the family connection component is to bring together teachers,
students, and families to get to know each other, share information about the child and support
the child’s transition to kindergarten. The whole child assessment assesses six areas of
development and learning: social-emotional, physical, language, cognitive development, literacy
and mathematics. The goal of the early learning collaboration component of WaKIDS is to
increase communication and build connections between kindergarten teachers and early learning
providers in order to:
 Promote a shared understanding of kindergarten readiness and WaKIDS among families,
early learning professionals and schools.
 Strengthen kindergarten transitions and transition planning for children and families.
 Facilitate work in regions to utilize WaKIDS assessment data and to inform strategies to
improve the readiness of children, families, schools and communities.
 Foster partnerships among families, school districts, and community partners to improve
children’s kindergarten readiness and engage families in their children’s education and
school.
Table 7 illustrates the test results of all WaKIDS vs. PI kindergarteners in 2013. PI
kindergarteners scored low relative to the state average in math, language, literacy and cognitive
skills…four of the six categories of the WaKIDS assessment. Not only does this show the existing
performance discrepancy, but one could make the argument that this discrepancy could be
significantly reduced if the support/advocacy groups mentioned earlier were available. Reducing
or eliminating the disconnect between PI families and Washington’s schools is instrumental in
reversing the current state of emergency. This disconnect may largely be the result of PI parents
feeling overwhelmed or intimidated as under-educated, lower income, lower socio-economic
members of society who face a wealth of cultural and language barriers to boot.

19. 18
Sources:OSPI Website – Washington State ReportCard.
Looking at the overall PI students’ test scores for WaKIDS makes me wonder if any of
these students were ever tested for learning disability. If their learning deficiencies are not
addressed in the early stages of their learning development, these students’ achievement gap will
only continue to escalate. As mentioned earlier, academic success as defined by high school
graduation, can be predicted with reasonable accuracy by knowing someone’s reading skills at the
end of third grade. A collection of issues at home and especially not having a strong reading
foundation of any student, can hinders one’s education development and most likely will result in
a student dropping out from school.
The collaboration components of WaKIDS is a great start in addressing the needs of
disadvantage students, but for PI parents with limited English, feeling intimidated and less
confident in seeking helpful resources for their children, the struggle lingers on. In 2010, the King
County Children and Family Commission used a survey to identify some of the needs of PI
families. The resulting report identified a significant disconnect between PI parents and the
schools. Looking back at how learning disability affected my education, I can only imagine what
each disadvantage student feels like when he or she is labeled by their friends at school.
Furthermore, life is even difficult at home when the parents are unaware, or even they don’t
understand their child’s disability.
54.4%
71.1%
78.6% 75.4%
44.2%
59.7%
71.4% 68.2%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
Math Language Literacy Cognitive
Table 7
Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS)
2013
STATE
PAC. ISLANDER

20. 19
THE UNSEEN AND THE VOICELESS
In a 2007-08 Seattle Public School report, 77% of Samoan students qualified for free or
reduced fee lunch and 44% were not living with both parents. The 44% of students not living with
their families qualifies under the official definition of homelessness:
An individual may be considered to be homeless if that person is “doubled up,” a
term that refers to a situation where individuals are unable to maintain their
housing situation and are forced to stay with a series of friends and/or extended
family members. In addition, previously homeless individuals who are to be
released from prison or a hospital may be considered homeless if they do not have
a stable housing situation to which they can return. A recognition of the instability
of an individual’s living arrangements is critical to the definition of homelessness
(HRSA/Bureau of Primary Health Care).
The homeless youth population concerns exist within the PI community. However, it is
kept silent because of our family unity principles. It is not uncommon for PI families to take in
additional relatives or another family unit, even though the host family is facing financial hardship
of their own. This noble practice positions the children to face even more vulnerability. Incredibly,
some families are able to succeed with the additional responsibilities, but for most families it
exposes school age children to more social risks and academic stresses. The economic challenges
faced by so many PI families are clearly having a notable effect on the academic performance of
our students, hence bringing about the current “academic state of emergency.” The combination
of social and economic disparity of Pacific Islanders makes it more difficult for PI students to
succeed in school. Their fear for survival places an enormous pressure on the children to
contribute and take on other family responsibilities.
Another underserved and unseen group of PI students is the mentally ill. PI parents have
traditionally looked upon their mentally ill children as helpless, and not sought, or even known
about resources available to them in schools. A 2010 report by King County Children and Family
Commission stated the need for support groups within the schools in order to lessen the
intimidation felt by PI parents who see themselves as uneducated and poverty-stricken. For many
PI traditionalists, having a mentally ill child is looked upon as a curse. These parents have often
chosen to keep their affected children at home rather than face the perceived humiliation and
intimidation they feared awaited them in the schools. Similar conditions have affected the LGBT
students. Even though PI parents have accepted and supported their gay children long before the
recent legislation forbidding discrimination, the persistent social rejection and hazing felt by their
affected children has caused them to simply withdraw from school. Their parents have not

21. 20
followed through with seeking the support that may or may not be available in the schools
because of their own sense of shame or intimidation.
Not only the persistent issue of the achievement gap, but issues such as mental illness,
LGBT, learning disability and homelessness continues to exacerbates and minimize any
opportunity for PI students.
As a Samoan parent of three loving children, the urgency to do something regarding this
issues facing PI students can no longer be viewed as someone else’s problem. The list of issues
and struggles facing Pacific Islanders students is almost endless. The cost of doing nothing is
enormous to the State and if left alone, it will erode the fabric of our Pacific Islander society. We
must not let the long standing issue of low academic performance and high dropout rates of PI
students continue on for as long as it has. The call for actions in now!
The journey from the Pacific in search of the “American Dream” is still alive and well. The
mountain of challenges ahead will take time and difficult to climb. Nevertheless, Chinese
philosopher Loa Tzu reminds us that “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

22. 21
RECOMMENDATION
 Where do we go from here?
There are no shortcuts in narrowing the achievement gap of PI students and tackling this
long standing issue will take a considerable amount of resources. The Pacific Islander community
is asking for assistance from both private and public parties and to partnership in the process in
providing educational opportunities for Pacific Islander students who may otherwise never have a
chance to pursue the American Dream.
The formation of Fetu Ta’iala Learning Center is based on the concept of Culture-Based
Education (CBE), which will incorporate both the standard learning system and indigenous
language, values and beliefs, practices and experiences which are the foundation of culture. The
practices of CBE are implemented in Hawaii and other Native American tribes across the county
with some promising results. A more detail outline of Culture-Based Education will be discussed in
part two of this document.

23. 22
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