Jill Meinecke2026-03-04T11:31:59-10:00March 4, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Chris Todd, Educator Student Loan Repayment Program, HIDOE, House Committee on Finance, Jenna Takenouchi, jumpstart, National Board Certification, National Board Certified Teachers, NBCT, NBCT bonus, Osa Tui, student loans|
Hawaiʻi public school teachers could get up to $25,000 of their college loans repaid under a new program, and National Board Certified Teachers would see their annual bonuses increase under proposals that passed the state House Finance Committee this week.
Jill Meinecke2026-02-20T15:30:10-10:00February 20, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Board of Education, COVID hazard pay, Gov. Josh Green, HIDOE, House Education Committee, Laverne Moore, Osa Tui Jr, pandemic, Rep. Justin Woodson, tax loopholes, UPW|
The State House Education Committee on Thursday approved a proposal to end a multi-million-dollar tax loophole enjoyed by rental car companies in Hawaiʻi to fund hazard pay for teachers who put themselves in harm’s way by teaching children during the pandemic.
Jill Meinecke2026-02-12T13:42:19-10:00February 12, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: automatic step increases, Board of Education, COVID hazard pay, Gov. Josh Green, HGEA, HIDOE, Keith Hayashi, Osa Tui, salary schedule, Sarah Milianta-Laffin, teacher pay|
Key state Senate and House committees have advanced proposals to establish annual step salary increases for public and charter school teachers.
Jill Meinecke2026-03-06T15:56:20-10:00February 9, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Hawaii Foundation for Educators, HFE, HIDOE, HSTA merch, Kula Ink, merch, palaka, pop up store|
Back by popular demand, the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association is launching a second temporary pop-up online store with a half dozen new merch items available to order from Feb. 9 through March 9.
Jill Meinecke2026-02-08T19:26:32-10:00February 8, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: DOE, HIDOE, HSTA, institute day, Josh Green, Oahu members, severe weather|
Due to severe weather, Institute Day for Oʻahu members that was supposed to happen on Monday will be rescheduled.
Jill Meinecke2026-02-05T14:26:07-10:00February 5, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, board of directors, EUTF, Government Relations Committee, HEA, HIDOE, HSTA governance, HSTA leader, HTSB, instructional coach, Joan Lewis, Kapolei High, Leeward, Nānākuli High and Intermediate School, strike, VEBA|
Joan Kamila Lewis, a veteran public school mentor teacher, instructional coach, administrator, and longtime Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association governance leader began work this week as HSTA’s deputy executive director.
Jill Meinecke2026-02-05T08:48:09-10:00February 4, 2026|Categories: News|Tags: Andrea Eshelman, bargaining, bargaining team, chief negotiator, Colleen Bird, contract negotiations, HIDOE, Jr., Negotiations, Osa Tui, research|
Colleen Bird, who has served as the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association’s negotiations and research specialist for more than five years, has been promoted to become the union's chief negotiator.
Jill Meinecke2025-12-19T15:03:50-10:00December 16, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: books, culture, EL, EL coordinator, EL students, EL teacher, English learners, Hanahau‘oli School, Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, Hawaii Department of Education, HIDOE, Kihei, Kihei Elementary, Maui, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|
EL Coordinator Erin Kowalick and Mahala Quintana, an EL teacher, both of Kīhei Elementary, launched a “Culturally Relevant Books” project at their school, aiming to equip each classroom with diverse and culturally significant titles to help K-5 students see themselves on the pages.
Jill Meinecke2025-12-05T08:50:56-10:00December 5, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: HIDOE, national board, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, NBCT|
On Saturday, Dec. 6, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards will release scores for all teachers who submitted new certification and maintenance-of-certification competencies.
Jill Meinecke2025-11-25T15:13:09-10:00November 25, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: Bargaining Unit 05, BU 05 experience, compression, Hawaiʻi Labor Relations Board, HIDOE, HLRB, out of state experience, public school teachers, repricing|
A state judge’s decision Tuesday to affirm a recent decision by the Hawaiʻi Labor Relations Board (HLRB) could clear the way for more than 2,200 public school teachers to be given service credit for teaching experience outside of Hawaiʻi, possibly raising their pay.
