New options recognize the unique nature of kaiapuni teachers
Posted: October 1, 2025
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) just announced updates and new options for teachers to obtain the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Sheltered Instruction Qualification (SIQ). This vital update will help facilitate the eligibility of many teachers for Class VIII and provide educators with more flexibility, especially in recognizing kaiapuni experience and new microcredential options.
In September 2023, HIDOE announced a requirement that all Bargaining Unit 05 employees must obtain SIQ.
Over the last two years, the HSTA, through its collaboration with the Joint Committee on Hawaiian Education and our Instruction and Professional Development department, has sought to explore better options for kaiapuni teachers and incorporate the National Education Association (NEA) microcredential stack for multilingual learners.
Improvements to SIQ options are as follows:
- Added pathways expand beyond traditional credit courses to include:
• Non-college credit TESOL/ESL programs from accredited institutions (Option 4)
• The NEA microcredential stack for multilingual learners (Option 6) - Recognition for those with a kaiapuni license or credits recognized for SIQ, including:
• Kaiapuni licensure is now an equivalency (Option 5)
• Kaiapuni course credits are recognized and may be combined with other TESOL credits or seat hours (Options 1, 5, 7 and 8) - Expansion of Option 3 to remove the eight-credit seat hour limit for TESOL-related conferences.
These changes will provide greater equity for our teachers working in kaiapuni or those who have other prior TESOL-related training that has not been previously recognized. The changes also increase the flexibility of teachers’ ability to meet SIQ.
What you should do next:
- If you still need to obtain SIQ, review the eight SIQ options and see which of them fits your past coursework, licensure, or professional development.
- Check whether your kaiapuni credits or TESOL microcredentials qualify under the new rules.
- If you believe you now meet SIQ under these new combinations, verify with the Office of Talent Management — you may not need to resubmit any prior documentation that you have already submitted.
Please contact the following offices for more information, clarifications, or questions.
Relating to teacher qualifications:
Office of Talent Management, Educator Quality Section
hqt@k12.hi.us
(808) 441-8499
Relating to EL Program, PD Opportunities for SIQ:
Kathleen Grondin, Educational Specialist, EL & Migrant Education
kathleen.grondin@k12.hi.us
(808) 305-9835