U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz’s (D-Hawaii) office announced that Native Hawaiian education programs will receive a total $28.1 million in federal funding under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Schatz said that monetary donation would help educational programs that focus on the Native Hawaiian community.
"This new federal funding will ensure that Native Hawaiian education programs have the resources they need to support students in time for the upcoming school year. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, I will keep fighting for more resources for the Native Hawaiian community," Schatz wrote in a Sept. 15 Facebook post.
The endowments will facilitate programs involving early-childhood education, family engagement, Hawaiian language education, creation of STEM pathways, curriculum and professional development and other goals, according to Schatz's website.
There are 35 beneficiaries of the funding, including the University of Hawaii, which will receive over $9 million.
“This incredible opportunity to advance Native Hawaiian education with our education partners comes as welcome news during this difficult and challenging period for students and teachers across our islands,” UH President David Lassner said, according to University of Hawaii News. “We extend our deepest aloha and gratitude to Senator Schatz for his unwavering efforts to promote the success of Native Hawaiians across the UH system and beyond.”