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Click on these links to see the source and background of these statistics which show how Hawaii's chronic underfunding of public education is hurting our children with low high school completion rates and Native Hawaiian students in public schools more likely to have unqualified teachers.

The State Senate Monday approved a bill to ask voters to decide this fall whether the state should be empowered to impose a surcharge on residential investment properties to help fund public education.

Following a two-year lobbying effort by the Hawaii State Teachers Association, a proposed constitutional amendment asking voters if the state should be allowed to tax investment properties to benefit public schools is all but set for the November ballot.

Proposals for a constitutional amendment to create a steady funding stream for public schools, limits on standardized testing and a teacher on the Board of Education are included in this year’s package of bills HSTA is advocating for at the state Legislature.

The elections will be held at Institute Days on each island: Monday, Feb. 12, Oahu; Tuesday, Feb. 13, Kauai; Wednesday, Feb. 14, Molokai; Thursday, Feb. 15, Maui and Lanai; Friday, Feb. 16, Hawaii Island (Hilo, Kona, Hamakua, Kohala)

The governor wants to boost per-pupil funding for public schools by $2 million through what’s known as the weighted student formula.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association announced it is sending $200 checks to the eight teachers whose classrooms were destroyed in the blaze.