All cultures and languages are valuable resources. Multilingualism creates learning environments that draw from the rich linguistic diversity and cultural strengths of Hawaiʻi’s students. The BOE recognizes the important role of multilingualism in providing a meaningful and equitable education for student achievement. The BOE’s Multilingualism for Equitable Education Policy—Kulekele 105-14 (PDF)—alakaʻi i ka HIDOE a me kāna mau kula e apo, paipai a hoʻomau i ka manaʻo lehulehu a me ka moʻomeheu lehulehu e kākoʻo i nā haumāna, nā ʻohana a me nā kaiāulu.

Hawaiʻi is multicultural and multilingual. There are two official state languages—Hawaiian and English. Up to 14% of students have been identified as English Learners (ELs) over the past five years; the top five languages spoken at home are Ilokano, Chuukese, Marshallese, Tagalog and Spanish. Studies consistently show that when students’ identities, histories, cultures and languages are included in a meaningful and equitable way, they are better able to learn and succeed in school and beyond. 

Pahuhopu 

ʻO nā pahuhopu nui ʻekolu i hōʻike ʻia i loko o ke kulekele: 

1. E hoʻolako i nā papahana ʻōlelo no nā haumāna he nui ʻōlelo, ʻo ia hoʻi nā haumāna i ʻike ʻia ʻo EL a me nā haumāna makemake e aʻo i kahi ʻōlelo hou; 
2. Hāʻawi i nā kumu hoʻonaʻauao kūpono me ka ʻike kūpono, nā mākau a me nā mea aʻo; a 
3. Hāʻawi kākoʻo hoʻolaha i nā ʻohana e komo ikaika i ka hoʻonaʻauao ʻana i kā lākou mau keiki. 

The goals for this policy were written to be inclusive of all major language groups in Hawaiʻi: Hawaiian, English, World/Heritage Languages, and American Sign Language. 

Ma hope o ka ʻae ʻia ʻana o ke kulekele i ka makahiki 2016, ua hoʻokumu ʻia kahi hoʻolālā hoʻokō hana e ka Multilingualism Policy Work Group i hoʻohui i nā mea āpau o ke kulekele i loko o kahi palapala hana me nā pahuhopu ʻeono: 

• Pahuhopu 1: E hoʻolako i nā papahana ʻōlelo no nā haumāna he nui ʻōlelo 
• Pahuhopu 2: Hāʻawi i nā kumu hoʻonaʻauao kūpono me ka ʻike kūpono, nā mākau, a me nā mea pono 
• Pahuhopu 3: Hāʻawi i nā kākoʻo hoʻolaha i nā ʻohana 
• Pahuhopu 4: E hoʻokumu i komite aʻoaʻo mau 
• Pahuhopu 5: Hāʻawi i kahi hōʻike makahiki i ka BOE 
• Pahuhopu 6: E ʻimi i nā kālā kūpono no ka hoʻokō ʻana i ke kulekele Multilingualism 

Nā pōmaikaʻi 

Nā ʻike noiʻi o Nā pōmaikaʻi o ka Multilingualism (PDF) ua kuhikuhi mau i nā pono hoʻonaʻauao, ʻōlelo a me ka pilikanaka o ka ʻae ʻana i nā haumāna i ʻike ʻia he mau EL e hoʻomau i ka hoʻomohala ʻana i kā lākou ʻōlelo home me ke aʻo ʻana i ka ʻōlelo Pelekane. ʻO nā laʻana o ia mau pōmaikaʻi: ka loaʻa ʻana o ka ʻike maʻiʻo ma nā ʻōlelo maʻa, e hopena maikaʻi i ka ulu ʻana o ka naʻau; ʻoi aku ka mākaukau ma nā ʻōlelo he nui; a me ka hōʻoiaʻiʻo ʻana i ka ʻike o nā haumāna, e hopena maikaʻi ana i ka hoʻokō. 

Ua kuhikuhi pū nā ʻimi noiʻi i nā pono like ʻole o ka bi/multilingualism no ka poʻe ʻōpio i ʻike ʻole ʻia he EL. Loaʻa i kēia mau pōmaikaʻi ka hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana i nā mākau multitasking, ka ʻike hohonu a me ka mahalo i nā moʻomeheu like ʻole, a me ka hoʻonui ʻana i ka mākaukau moʻomeheu. Ma muli o kēia mau pono i hoʻokumu ʻia e HIDOE a sila biliteracy hiki i nā haumāna ke hoʻoikaika i kā lākou diploma.

Many Hawaiʻi schools are already integrating multilingualism and multiculturalism into their school culture and curriculum in a variety of ways.