Benefits Huge When We Invest in Schools
Legislators Urged to Commit to Improving Education
The "inconvenient truth" is that the poor condition of our public school campuses reflects long-standing priorities of our community.
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Keeping Highly Qualified Teachers Requires Affordable Housing
Cost of Living an Issue in Location Decisions
Currently, 50 percent of newly hired teachers leave Hawaii public schools within five years. The shortage of highly qualified teachers in Hawaii’s public school is only going to increase in the coming years.
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HSTA Supports Hui Ho'omalu in Recruiting Foster/Resource Families
Partnership Will Help Boost Program Awareness
In Hawai'i, there are over 2,100 children and youth in foster care. These children have been abused or neglected and their families are unable to care for them.
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NEA Testifies Against Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind Law
President Reg Weaver Calls Draft Language “Dysfunctional”
NEA President Reg Weaver called on members of the House Education and Labor Committee to reject draft language currently under discussion for the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act while testifying to the Committee today.
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New Report Indicates That Americans Believe NCLB Narrows Curriculum
Poll Shows Public Increasingly Views NCLB Unfavorably
According to the 39th Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Annual Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, more Americans are more familiar with the federal No Child Left Behind Act than they were last year -- and like it even less.
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NEA President Calls on Congress to Invest in Education
Closing Tax Loopholes and Creating Economic Development Centers Are Key
National Education Association President Reg Weaver is calling for a new, national education initiative to strengthen schools and develop the nation's "human capital" in order to keep America competitive in the 21st century.
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Parents Television Council Slams Ratings
TV Executives Still Hiding Behind a System that Doesn’t Work
This is the Parents Television Council’s fifth report examining the television ratings system. The Council concluded that the ratings system is a sham.
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HSTA Recommends Randy Iwase for Governor
His stand on No Child Left Behind and Funding for Schools Cited
In announcing its recommendation for Democratic Candidate Randy Iwase in Hawaii’s gubernatorial campaign, the association cited Iwase’s stand on changing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), as well as his understanding of and commitment to educational issues.
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HSTA Recommends Candidates for the 2006 Primary Election
Candidates chosen for state and national stands on issues
The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) announced 60 recommendations in the 2006 primary elections for seats in the state Senate, House and Board of Education. The Association has not endorsed any candidate for U.S. House, District 2.
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HSTA Executive Director Rebutts Attack on Contract
Letterwriter taken to task for misrepresentation of facts
In a letter to the editor of the Honolulu Advertiser, HSTA Executive Director Joan Husted responded to unfounded claims about public school teachers and the terms of their contract with the Department of Education.
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NEA Assembly Sets Agenda for Future Success
Hawaii Teachers Pledge to Fight for Great Public Schools for Every Child
Thousands of elected delegates representing public school employees from across the nation, including 55 from Hawaii, gathered in Orlando, Fla., during the first week of July to tackle complicated issues affecting education, including immigration, school employee pensions, the so called No Child Left Behind Act and anti-discrimination laws.
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Fifty-five Teachers Represented Hawaii at Annual NEA Meeting
HSTA members among the 9,000 who met to tackle key issues facing public schools
A large delegation of Hawaii public school teachers attended the 2006 National Education Association Annual Meeting June 30- July 5. The Hawaii State Teachers Association sent teachers representing six islands to the conference in Orlando, Florida, which focused on improving American public education.
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Voters Want Politicians to Put Education First
New NSBA Poll Finds Voters Disapprove of Federal Spending Priorities
Seven in 10 likely voters (70 percent) say Congress should restore funding for No Child Left Behind and special education programs in next year’s budget. This overwhelming majority wants programs funded at the authorized levels.
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Lawmakers Cut Education Spending Yet Again
HSTA President Roger Takabayashi says Congress must not turn its back on students
Critical education programs that were already struggling with inadequate resources will hurt even more under an appropriations bill approved by a House committee Tuesday. The bill would shortchange education by billions of dollars, including a $500 million cut for schools struggling to comply with the unfunded mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act.
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Roger Takabayashi Re-Elected As HSTA President
Takabayashi will lead teachers for another three-year term
Roger Takabayashi was re-elected president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association today. Selections of other HSTA office holders were also announced.
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Roger Takabayashi Re-Elected As HSTA President
Takabayashi will lead teachers for another three-year term
Roger Takabayashi was re-elected president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association. The selection of other HSTA office holders was also announced.
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National Teacher Day Spotlights Key Issues Facing Profession
NEA Addresses Top Five Trends and Outlines “Portrait of American Teacher”
The teaching profession has changed dramatically over the past 40 years. As part of its annual National Teacher Day celebration, taking place this year on Tuesday, May 9, the National Education Association is releasing a list of the top five trends in the teaching profession and outlining the main characteristics of a 21st century schoolteacher.
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HSTA President Reaches Out to Business Leaders
Roger Takabayashi Outlines Problems, Offers Partnering Opportunities
In a letter to Hawaii business leaders, HSTA President Roger Takabayashi described the deplorable conditions that exist in many Hawaii schools and the affect the conditions are having on student learning, as well as teacher recruitment and retention.
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HSTA Calls for Passage of the Akaka Bill
Members of the community can also help
HSTA President Roger Takabayashi issued a statement in support of the Native Hawaiian Recognition Act of 2005, better known as the "Akaka Bill." Among other benefits, the bill grants federal recognition to Native Hawaiians as an indigenous people, which will enable them to participate in the programs and services enjoyed by other indigenous people in our nation. HSTA's president called for passage of the bill and urged others to take up the cause
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NEA Provides $500,000 for Katrina Relief Efforts
Aid Goes to Students, Teachers and School Employees
The National Education Association (NEA), HSTA's parent organization and the nation’s largest educator organization, has provided almost $500,000 in direct aid to students, teachers and school employees affected by Hurricane Katrina.
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HSTA Parent Organization Pledges $1 Million for Katrina Relief
NEA will provide support for affected students, teachers and school employees
HSTA president Roger Takabayashi said, "I am proud we are part of the National Education Association, America’s largest education organization and union, which announced today it will raise $1 million to go directly to students, teachers and school employees affected by Hurricane Katrina."
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National survey: large teacher turnover looming
Pay, bureaucracy, and competing professions cited as reasons
More teachers, it seems, are ready to leave their schools behind. Forty percent of public school teachers plan to exit the profession within five years, the highest rate since at least 1990, according to a study released August 26.
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HSTA President Takabayashi Explains Contract Impact
Better conditions help ease teacher shortage
It is great news for Hawaii that the DOE is having more success this year recruiting teachers to teach in our public schools. The ongoing teacher shortage Hawaii has suffered in recent years makes it difficult for our schoolchildren to improve their academic achievement.
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Hawaii NEA Delegates Ready to Advance Six-Point Plan
‘Covenant’ Marks the Path to Strengthen Public Education
LOS ANGELES – More than 8,000 delegates of the National Education Association (NEA) today wrapped up their 143rd Annual Meeting primed by President Reg Weaver’s call for a new covenant with the nation in support of great public schools for every child.
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Hawaii teachers tackle national issues at conference
HSTA Sends Team of 60 Teachers to NEA Annual Meeting
A large delegation of Hawaii public school teachers will attend the 2005 National Education Association Annual Meeting July 1-6 in Los Angeles. The Hawaii State Teachers Association is sending teachers from throughout the state to attend the conference, which will focus on improving American public education.
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Surveys Show Support for Teacher Pay for Performance
The Teaching Commission has released the results of two surveys regarding teacher pay and performance issues. Both surveys, which separate results for teachers and the general public, found considerable support for increasing teacher pay among both groups.
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HSTA Statement on the Proposed Contract
A Step Along a Difficult and Critical Path
This week teachers will vote to ratify a contract that would increase their salaries by approximately 11% over the next two years. We believe this contract will help attract new teachers to Hawaii’s public schools. It will also provide additional incentive for the highly qualified teachers we already have to stay here.
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HSTA has tentative contract settlement with DOE
Contract called a critical step toward ending the teacher shortage
The Hawaii State Teachers Association reached a tentative agreement with the Department of Education on terms for a new two-year contract late Friday. The settlement will be put to teachers for a ratification vote on Thursday, April 28, 2005.
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HSTA Releases Member Survey Findings
Survey reveals extent of Hawaii's teacher retention problem
The release of complete results follows an earlier disclosure, underscoring the severity of the teacher shortage Hawaii faces: up to 50 percent of current teachers do not expect to be teaching by 2010. Speaking about the overall results, HSTA President Roger Takabayashi said, “Our teachers have told us what they need to stay in Hawaii’s public schools, and we need to listen to them.”
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No Child's Behind Left
Testing the Butts off of America's Children
Utah elementary school teacher and National Education Association Secretary-Treasurer Lily Eskelsen delivered a factual, irreverant, and sobering picture of the No Child Left Behind Act and the rogues gallery of institutions and individuals promoting it for idealogical and financial reasons. Eskelsen had the audience of delegates to the HSTA annual convention alternately laughing and gasping in disbelief over the shenanigans surrounding NCLB.
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HSTA Media Campaign Highlights Teacher Shortage
Schedule of ads airing on TV, radio stations throughout the 2005 legislative session
The spots highlight the fact that more than 1,600 teachers will leave Hawaii just this year for other higher paying professions, or to find employment on the Mainland
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24 HSTA Members Gain National Board Certification
Certified teachers meet the highest national standards
The prestigious national certification is awarded to teachers who undergo a rigorous, year-long certification process in which they demonstrate and strengthen every facet of their teaching capability.
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NCLB Blue Ribbons Go to Momilani and Liholiho
The Two Hawaii Elementary Schools Among Nation's
Best
No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School certificates were
presented during all-school assemblies at Momilani Elementary (Sept. 30)
and Liholiho Elementary (Oct. 1).
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State DOE Releases Honor Roll of Schools
Scores of Schools Meeting or Exceeding National Averages
On October 1, the Department of EducationĘ released its 2004 "SAT Honor Roll," recognizing public schools that are meeting or exceeding the national average on the Stanford Achievement Test in both reading and math. The listĘcontains 131 elementary, 22 intermediate /middle, and eight high schools.
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