Over the past two weeks, sophomores at Kohala High had their first opportunity at taking the Hawaii Sate Assessment. So far they have been tested on math and reading. A few years ago the assessment was done on paper. But new advances have allowed the test to be converted into an online form so students can now take it on computers. Most of them say testing this way is much more compatible to their learning style.

Every morning of the test the sophomores were treated to breakfast  and snacks. Some of the food was provided and made by the school’s culinary classes. Teachers and staff wanted the students to be full, motivated, and focused while taking the assessment.

Last year, Kohala High School was the only school in the entire sate to meet Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP. That set a high bar for this years’ sophomores. In order to avoid plans of restructuring for the school, 82% of sophomores need to pass reading and 53% need to pass math. To pass, sophomores need to get a score of 300 or higher. If they have not passed on the fist try they will have 2 more chances at the HSA later on in the year.