Kahua Standards and Benchmarks
Explore the PK–12 essential standards and benchmarks developed for Hawaiian-focused education. Select a grade and content area to read the full standards.
Traditional Hawaiian hale materials reflected the purpose of the hale and the community’s environment ranging from native woods, coral, and stones. Hawaiian-focused Charter Schools (HFCS) define ʻĀina-based Education as learning experiences that allow learners to create authentic, reciprocal relationships with the land, people, and resources of a specific community. This becomes an integral part of the learner's identity and a catalyst for a personal commitment to the health and well-being of that community. It is situated in learning that honors the past, present and future in order to ensure the sustainability and productivity of all forms of life. More specifically, ʻāina-based education embodies the wisdom of the ʻōlelo noʻeau: ‘O ka hā o ka ʻāina, ke ola o ka poʻe (The health of the land is the health of the people). The HFCS ʻĀina Learning Competencies are overarching goals for ʻāina-based curriculum designed to connect the learner to their cultural, linguistic and physical community.