Against the backdrop of school choice as a pivotal element in educational reform, Hawaii has developd its own variant of the magnet school concept--the Learning Center Program, initiated in January 1987. Following a brief period of implementation at 14 high school sites, the program was evaluated and expanded to include 20 centers during the 1987-1988 school year and to a total of 29 during the 1989-1990 school year. The goals of these centers are to: expand educational choices for students through efficient use of resources; provide parents with the kind of education they want for their children; and encourage school-community collaboration and use of community resources. Each center is organized around a theme or subject area, and all centers set high academic, behavior, and attendance standards. Classes are taught by highly skilled teachers. Although centers are housed in high schools, they may serve students from elementary and intermediate schools as well. According to an independent evaluation, the program was implemented as intended. There is strong evidence that the Learning Centers are well accepted by program participants and their parents. However, there is also evidence that many parents and students were ignorant of the existence and purpose of learning centers. It appears that a more systematic approach is needed to publicize the program so that parents and students may actually avail themselves of choices in education. (AMH)