L&L Platform

We believe in the transformative power of education and strive to create positive change in the lives of individuals and communities. The advancements of the 21st century call for us to embrace educational innovations and developments that positively impact our children's future. Our mission is to promote access to quality education, empower learners of all ages, and advocate for education as a fundamental right for all.

Hence, Lemanu and La’apui are committed to providing our students with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to prepare them for college, careers, and life. We aim to raise awareness, inspire action, and foster collaboration among educators, students, parents, policymakers, and stakeholders. We have made great strides in education in American Samoa. Together, we can continue to build a brighter and more equitable future through education.

American Samoa Department of Education

Salary Reclassification In 2021, American Samoa Department of Education employees received new salary reclassifications to align salaries with credentials earned, years of service, position titles, and the high cost of living caused by inflation as a result of the pandemic.

ASG Scholarships The number of ASG Scholarship recipients for the American Samoa Community College and off-island universities have increased steadily over the past three years

• School Year 2020 – 2021 - 45 scholarships (ASCC & Off-island)
• School Year 2021 – 2022 - 60 scholarships (ASCC & Off-island)
• School Year 2022 – 2023 - 62 scholarships (ASCC & Off-island)

There are plans to increase the amount of the scholarship awards and offer scholarships based on the workforce needs of the Territory.

Advanced Technological Infrastructure and Integration

• The ASDOE broadband wireless capacity increased from 1 gigabyte per second to 5 gigabytes per second. This is a welcomed improvement that supported the paradigm shift of education to virtual learning that required faster internet connections.
• About $20 million was spent on implementing virtual learning during the pandemic.
• Spend over $6 million to purchase robotics equipment, drones, 3D printers, and programs to support school technology integration.
• Received grant funding from the Office of Insular Affairs to support and implement the JROTC VEX robotics program at Tafuna High School.
• More than 12,000 students received Chromebooks and Kindle tablets.
• 11,000 MiFi devices were purchased to support the implementation of online learning.
• More than 700 teachers, from ECE to high school, received Apple MacBook Air laptops to support online learning and technology integration.
• We purchased Teleconferencing equipment, including Smartboards, LifeSize, Document Camera, and Zoom accounts, to improve communications and access to online learning.
• Implemented computer science courses to align with the current trends in education and support technology career pathways.
• Introduced computer coding, programming, HTML, JavaScript, and Python programs in Elementary and High Schools. We are planning to expand the Computer Science Pathway in School Year 2024-2025:
  • Virtual Reality & Cryptography course – 8th grade;
  • Introduction to Python – 10th grade;
  • Web design – 11th grade;
  • Fundamentals of Cybersecurity – 12th grade
• Implemented various programs to support Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education.
• DOE has transformed its educational approach by adopting the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) standards, emphasizing a competency-based and student-centered model. This shift integrates technology into learning, fostering data literacy and 21st-century skills.

Shift in the Use of Online Assessments Lately, there has been a shift in the use of online assessments. As more operations moved online, assessments followed suit. There is increased accessibility and convenience for both the test-taker and the administrator. Policies and procedures are in place to ensure the assessments are fair, accurate, and secure.

• We successfully implemented online assessments following COVID-19 to support ongoing assessments for students in various areas such as SAT, Standards-Based Assessments (SBA), NOCTI, and PRAXIS CORE.
• ASDOE established a certified testing lab used by students, teachers, and other professionals for certifications, promotions, and admissions to colleges and programs.

Paradigm Shift in Programs to Support Whole Child Development Implemented programs that take a holistic approach and prioritize physical, emotional, and social development alongside academic learning can help children develop essential life skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and empathy, which are essential for success in the 21st century.

• Spent over $6 million on programs and projects to support mental health and wellness and realize social and emotional learning opportunities for students, teachers, parents, and the community.
• We invested in developing career pathways through partnerships with various offices in the public and private sectors for the Work-Based Learning Experience Program (WBLEP), Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), and Health Science work experience.
• The Kindergarten to Level 3 Initiative was successfully implemented in the 23 Elementary schools to develop critical early literacy foundational skills.
• Implemented the Dual Enrollment program with the ASCC to allow high school students to take CAPP and college credit-bearing courses. Most students involved in the program enter directly into taking college-level courses.
• Created the Samoan Language Commission to support and preserve the proper and formal Samoan language through education. Enacted legislation to make Samoan and English the official language of instruction in our schools.

Growth in Sports Programs and Opportunities There is growth in sports programs and opportunities. Sports encourage physical fitness and promote teamwork, discipline, and leadership skills. Through programs and partnerships, we provided everyone with better access to sports.

• Created successful partnerships with various sports organizations to support and fund the Samoa Bowl, softball, football clinics, and trips to compete and get exposure to colleges and universities;
• Received over 200 football scholarship offers from colleges and universities through a partnership with Junior Prep Sports-American Samoa (JPS-AS);
• DOE and JPS-AS collaborated to purchase new equipment for all public high school football teams.
• We are creating a stand-alone athletics office to implement sports competitions, sports development from elementary to high school, athletic scholarships, sports camps, the Samoa Bowl, and various clinics by off-island athletes and organizations.

Improved Transportation Vehicles & Infrastructure School bus transportation has been a long-standing challenge for the ASDOE. We purchased 15 new school buses (gas and diesel) and one electric school bus. These school buses meet all relevant regulations and standards for safety, fuel efficiency, and seating capacity to provide services to the students of American Samoa.

We are in the process of procuring 8 additional electric school buses & installing new charging stations.

Work has commenced upgrading the ASDOE Transportation compound to include a new fueling station with gasoline and diesel fuel dispensaries and charging stations for all-electric school buses and department vehicles.

Asset Inventory System & Tracking We purchased a new Asset Inventory System to keep track of all ASDOE assets and inventory for accountability and transparency. This system helped streamline our asset management processes and addressed the long-standing high-risk area pertaining directly to ASDOE.

In 2023, the ASDOE purchased a vehicle tracking system to improve accountability and fuel efficiency from waste and abuse to improve overall operations

Multipurpose Facility We invested in the Multipurpose Airport Facility in Tafuna for the main purpose of accommodating our schools from Manu’a when they travel to Tutuila for all ASDOE curricular and co-curricular programs and competitions. This is an improvement in our services to the Manu’a schools and a substantial saving of resources that can help support our schools and programs.

New School Infrastructures New school buildings and facilities are essential for providing students with a safe, comfortable, and modern learning environment to enhance the quality of education and help students achieve their full potential. Investing in school infrastructure is crucial for creating a positive student learning experience and environments conducive to learning.

The Lemanu & La’apui administration has invested millions and millions of dollars to upgrade and build new school infrastructure to provide improved facilities for the education of our children. Most schools have at least one new classroom building and/or multipurpose building to support physical health and mental wellness among all students, staff, and faculties.

Since 2021, we have completed and successfully dedicated school infrastructure projects: 

• Early Childhood Education (ECE) Administrative Building in Tafuna;
• Leone Midkiff Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium;
• Two Leone Midkiff Elementary School New Classroom Buildings;
• Lupelele Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium;
• Two Lupelele Elementary School New Classroom Buildings;
• Manulele Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium;
• Alataua II Elementary School Two-Story New Classroom building;
• Fagaitua High School New Classroom Building;
• Samoana High School New Classroom building;
• Fagali’i Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium;
• Pavaiai Elementary School New Classroom Building;
• Uifa’atali Peter T. Coleman Elementary School New Multipurpose Gymnasium;
• Two Uifa’atali Peter T. Coleman Elementary School New Classroom Buildings;
• Olomoana Elementary School New Classroom Building;
• Manu’a School Lunch Program New Warehouse Building;
• Special Education Portable Classroom in Manulele Elementary School
• High-quality school fences for Matafao ES, Uifaatali Peter Tali Coleman ES, Tafuna HS, Tafuna ES, Leone HS, and Pavaiai ES.

The following are the school facilities and projects that are currently being built and will be completed by December 2024:

• Olosega Elementary School Classroom Building
• Ta’u Consolidated Elementary School Building (School relocation).
• Fitiuta Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• A.P. Lutali Elementary School New Classroom Building & Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Fagaitua High School New Classroom Building.
• Laulii Elementary School New Classroom Building.
• Afonotele Elementary School New Classroom Building.
• Mt. Alava Elementary School New Classroom Building.
• Le’atele Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Tafuna High School New JROTC building.
• New fuel station for all ASDOE vehicles at the Transportation Division compound

These are the school infrastructure projects that will start once all paperwork is completed:

• ASDOE New 3-story Educational Office Building
• School Lunch State-of-the-Art Warehouse Building.
• Matatula Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Olomoana Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Masefau Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Afonotele Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Mt. Alava Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Pavaiai Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Alataua II Elementary School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Tafuna High School Multipurpose Gymnasium.
• Leone High School New JROTC Building.
• Career & Technical Education Building.
• Alternative School Building.
• Multipurpose Field for Eastern Schools at Onesosopo Park.

Energy Efficiency Projects Air conditioning is installed in all classrooms in ECE, Elementary, and Secondary Schools to cool and dehumidify the air for a more comfortable indoor environment.

We are installing solar panels on the rooftops of all major high schools and elementary schools. This is a clean and renewable source of energy that promotes environmental sustainability and offers cost-saving benefits for schools.

School Accreditations All elementary and high schools that underwent the accreditation process and visits are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Only a few elementary schools are going through the initial visit process to qualify for a full visit for accreditation. We are committed to improving and investing in the education system to ensure that all students have access to quality education. We aim to support educators through various initiatives to recognize the dedication and investments teachers make for their students. We recognize that a strong education system is essential for the prosperity of our community.

American Samoa Community College Some significant accomplishments of the American Samoa Community College include:

• The ASCC faculty received salary reclassification commensurate with their roles and responsibilities, credentials earned, and cost of living since the outbreak of the pandemic.
• Expansion of academic programs and offerings to meet the needs of students and the community. It is recognized for the expansion of services for students, including counseling, tutoring, financial aid, and career services, to ensure student success and retention.
• The ASCC facilities and infrastructure are enhanced to provide a better learning environment. We have completed the construction of the new ASCC cafeteria, which will include office space on the second floor for the Admissions and Financial Aid Offices. The ASCC Smart-Art and Community Higher Education Building (SACHEB) is in the construction phase.
• Implementation of innovative teaching methods and technologies to improve student engagement and success. The American Samoa Community College continues to be accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) for academic excellence and student support services, demonstrating the college’s commitment to quality education.
• The ASCC advocates for higher education funding and resources to support the college’s mission and strategic goals and meet the evolving needs of students and the community. Some of the significant funding awards include Connecting Minority Communities and the Data Voyage Project. The former provides an increased gigabyte internet connection and capabilities on campus, and the latter focuses on improving data gathering on Pacific Islanders in higher education.