At Thursday’s Board of Education meeting, Sean Bacon, interim assistant superintendent, Hawaii State Department of Education Office of Talent Management, and BOE Chair Catherine Payne, expressed their support for job-embedded professional development (21 hours).

This has been a valued gain for our members since 2013, and HSTA appreciates that the HIDOE and BOE recognize its importance. We welcome their pledge to restore the paid time should funding become available.

Bacon told the board, “The parties really all agreed that the additional 21 hours of PD was valuable, but the 2021 Legislature did not allocate the appropriate funding. However, should alternative and appropriate funding become available to the department, the parties will work to try and reinstate the 21 hours.”

Payne said, “I just wanted to acknowledge that and appreciate the fact that you are acknowledging officially that if money does become available, either through legislative action or other sources, this could be considered, because I think it is tremendously important for us to have the time for teachers to engage together in professional development that is organized at school.”