The pay is going up by more than 3%
Posted: May 28, 2026
Educators who participate in voluntary training during non-working hours will see a 3.4% increase in their stipends starting July 1, with the full-day stipend rising from $194.01 to $200.80.
According to Hawaiʻi State Department of Education guidelines, stipends may be used to compensate teachers for voluntary training activities only; they do not apply to mandatory meetings such as curriculum development or school action planning sessions, for which educators must be given recall pay. Recall pay is compensation for teachers who are officially called back to work outside of their standard workday, on non-work days, or during scheduled breaks. Recall pay is based on the actual daily pay rate for Bargaining Unit 05 employees and so equals a higher amount than stipend pay. While stipend pay is provided for optional or voluntary activities, if an activity is deemed mandatory or comes from a directive, recall pay is the required compensation.
HIDOE’s stipend guidelines state that ten-month educators are eligible for stipend payments if the voluntary training session is scheduled during the fall intersession, winter, spring, or summer break. Receiving a stipend payment for attending training sessions on weekdays or weekends outside of intersessions or breaks is not allowed.
The stipend rate shall be consistent for all participants based on the following minimum time
requirements and maximum fee schedule that will be effective July 1, 2026:
- 1 Day (minimum 7.00 hours) $200.80
- ¾ Day (minimum 5.25 hours) $150.60
- ½ Day (minimum 3.50 hours) $100.40
- ¼ Day (minimum 1.75 hours) $ 50.20
The length of the training activity shall be interpreted as the total instructional contact time of the activity from the opening to the training session’s closing. Hours may not be accumulated over time, and homework hours may not be counted towards time for the training activity, HIDOE said.
Participants who receive stipend payments must attend the entire training activity and complete the training activity’s evaluation form, according to HIDOE’s guidelines. There shall be no partial payments, HIDOE added.
Questions about stipend pay should be addressed to Myles Shioji, HIDOE human resources officer in the Teacher Reclassification Unit, at (808) 441-8378 or via email at myles.shioji@k12.hi.us.
Please remember that 10-month teachers are not “on the clock” and cannot be directed to work, attend meetings, trainings or any other work over the summer.