Proposed Waiver and Extension of the Project Period with Funding for Elementary and Secondary Education, as Amended, Title VI, Part B, Native Hawaiian Education

Bonnie Kahapea-Tanner, Executive Director of the Kanehunamoku Voyaging Academy, expresses strong support for the proposed waiver and extension. She argues that the extension is necessary to ensure continuity of educational programming and to allow her organization to continue its work on ocean and climate resiliency.

Dr. Katie Benioni, Chief Operating Officer of Kanu o Ka Learning ʻOhana (KALO), supports the proposed waiver and continuation of funding for the Native Hawaiian Education Program. She argues that stable, long-term funding is essential for maintaining the infrastructure, partnerships, and community-based systems required to sustain Indigenous educational programs in Hawaiʻi.

The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) supports the proposed waiver and extension of the Native Hawaiian Education Program (NHEP) to ensure continuity of educational services. They request that the Department provide a transparent timeline for future grant competitions and continue to engage with Native Hawaiian organizations during the planning process.

Partners in Development Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, supports the proposed waiver and extension to ensure continuity of educational programming for Native Hawaiian children. They argue that the extension is critical to prevent a $46 million funding gap that would lead to widespread program closures and a loss of culturally grounded services in rural and low-income communities.

ʻAha Pūnana Leo, an organization providing Native Hawaiian education and language revitalization services, supports the Department of Education's proposal to waive requirements and extend the project period for Native Hawaiian Education program grantees. They argue that the extension ensures continuity of services, maximizes the impact of existing funds, and reduces administrative burdens by avoiding the need for a new grant competition.

Dr. Joe Fraser, a scholar and founder of the Kahoʻiwai Indigenous Teacher Education Program, supports the proposed waiver and funding extension for the Native Hawaiian Education Program. He argues that this funding is essential for developing culturally grounded teacher preparation, addressing teacher shortages in Hawaiʻi, and maintaining the continuity of Indigenous educational systems.

Dr. Noekeonaonaokalehua-mamo K. Kirby, Chief Academic Officer for Kahoʻiwai and an Indigenous educator, supports the proposed waiver and funding continuation for the Native Hawaiian Education Program. She argues that the funding is essential for sustaining culturally grounded curriculum, teacher preparation, and community-responsive educational systems that empower Native Hawaiian students.

Dr. Taffi U. Wise, Executive Director of Kanu o Ka ʻĀina Learning ʻOhana, writes in strong support of the proposed waiver and extension of the Native Hawaiian Education Program (NHEP) funding. She argues that NHEP is foundational to culturally grounded educational systems in Hawaiʻi and that an interruption in funding would cause significant harm to students, educators, and community-based initiatives.

Dr. Nancy Levenson, Director of Mālamapōkiʻi Preschool and a leader of Kanu o Ka ʻĀina Learning ʻOhana, supports the proposed waiver and funding continuation for the Native Hawaiian Education Program. She argues that this funding is essential for maintaining culturally grounded early childhood education that preserves Native Hawaiian identity, language, and community relationships.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), a semiautonomous state agency, supports the proposed waiver and extension of Native Hawaiian Education funding. They argue that the extension is essential for maintaining continuity in critical educational programs, supporting community-based literacy and dropout prevention, and reducing administrative overhead for existing grantees.