HIDOE releases health and safety guidance for the 2022–23 school year
On July 26, 2022, the Hawaii State Department of Education updated its health and safety guidance for schools for the 2022–23 school year including some significant changes.
BOE directs HIDOE to share COVID-19 guidelines with school staff, communities
The Hawaii Board of Education (BOE) Thursday called for the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) to share specific guidance and parameters with Hawaii public school staff and school communities as to when schools will need to move to distance learning because of high COVID-19 case counts on campus. The board said missing guidelines from the department has led to confusion, frustration and anger amongst educators, students and their families.
HIDOE, DOH haven’t discussed student vaccine mandate yet
Interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi of the Hawaii State Department of Education came under fire Thursday for haphazard COVID-19 testing in public schools and said he had not held discussions yet with state health officials about a possible vaccination mandate for public school students age 12 and older.
Superintendent, gov: Mask mandate will remain in school buildings, for now
When most public school students throughout the state return to classrooms on Aug 3, they will still be required to wear masks, state Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said Tuesday.
HSTA supports continued mask-wearing, distance learning options for 2021–22 school year
The Hawaii State Teachers Association has always said that it’s best to follow the science, and we look forward to seeing what guidance our state departments of health and education issue based on today’s recommendations.
HSTA reaches agreement to increase 4th quarter in-person learning
The agreement provides a framework to allow schools to increase the number of students returning to campuses in the fourth quarter for in-person learning, especially students in elementary schools.
CDC issues new school COVID-19 guidance
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Friday released new guidelines about the safe delivery of in-person instruction at K-12 schools.
HSTA: Latest school guidance metrics still fall short of federal guidelines
According to Hawaii State Teachers Association analysis of the new metrics, the DOH standards are not well aligned with risk-level metrics issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
HSTA disappointed BOE did not adopt stricter school reopening standards
The Hawaii State Board of Education Thursday took steps to strengthen school reopening standards, but did not require the state Department of Education to match federal metrics, which are much more stringent than the state Department of Health’s (DOH) standards.
HSTA raises concerns that state reopening guidelines are much more lax than federal standards
A day before the Hawaii Board of Education holds a special meeting on several key items including school reopening guidelines and telework for educators during the pandemic, the Hawaii State Teachers Association raised serious concerns that the state Department of Health’s new guidelines for the safe opening of schools are unsafe and much less stringent than federal guidelines.