DoE thinks Hawai`i public schools compare favorably with mainland
public schools. For example, Radford High School in the Central Oahu District
was recently named one of 271 outstanding secondary schools in the United
States. In Hawai`i, all public high schools and
intermediate/middle schools are accredited by the Accrediting Commission for
Secondary Schools of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Accreditation by this prestigious body requires schools undergo regularly
recurring assessments, followed by recommendations for improvements as
warranted.
Approximately 65% of Hawai`i's public school
graduates pursue additional schooling either in colleges, universities,
vocational, or technical schools. Students in Hawai`i's public schools have
consistently gained a fair share of national recognition for their scholastic
achievements, winning National Merit Scholarships, military academy
appoint-ments, college ROTC scholarships, Century III scholarships, Presidential
scholarships, and other awards in electronics, mathematics, science, writing,
and art.