We are pleased to report that the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) and Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto have reached a resolution on distancing of students in classrooms and face-covering requirements.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association is working hard to ensure that our members' health and safety remain a priority, our contract and employment rights are preserved, and information is being communicated in an accurate and timely manner.

After a record number of educators and parents expressed concerns about unsafe social distancing protocols that violate a school reopening agreement between the state and Hawaii State Teachers Association, the Hawaii State Board of Education Thursday night voted to defer approval of the deal.

This page contains updates issued by the Hawaii State Department of Education related to coronavirus (COVID-19).

“For the safety of my students, their families and my own family, I implore the DOE to be firm and consistent in their guidance that we will practice physical distancing of six feet whenever possible, even in the classroom,” Nimitz Elementary teacher Logan Okita said.

As COVID-19 is a new disease, there is limited information regarding risk factors and the research continues to evolve and change. Our FAQs are provided as a reference and should not be considered exhaustive as each individual's situation may differ.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA), the State of Hawaii, and Board of Education have agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to allow continuity of education next school year with certain contract modifications while assuring the safety of educators and students.

The National Education Association will be providing members an opportunity to participate in a virtual Professional Learning Community (PLC) to support successful completion of a NEA Micro-credential from start to finish. Educators who participate in a PLC to complete a micro-credential are more likely to earn their badge the first time.

The HSTA Negotiations Team meets for an hour and a half with top HIDOE officials Monday to begin detailed bargaining about reopening schools.

Coby Thornton is a fourth-grade general education inclusion teacher at Kipapa Elementary School. He shares his experience and reflects on the final quarter of the 2019–20 school year, from adapting to changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic to what he feels needs to change moving forward.