Student-run after-school program serves up snacks for a good cause

2021-12-10T19:09:05-10:00December 10, 2021|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Started as a project-based learning activity for Angie Fujimoto’s fully self-contained (FSC) special education class at Waipahu Elementary, Snack Shack sells a variety of food and beverages to students, with proceeds benefiting the school.

Shortage differentials maintain strong BOE support

2021-05-21T17:00:25-10:00May 21, 2021|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

HIDOE is using the differentials to recruit, retain teachers Posted: May 21, 2021 Board of Education leaders voiced strong support Thursday for continuing teacher shortage differentials next school year and the Hawaii State Department of Education is still touting them in recruitment and retention materials even as the department works to find exactly how it will pay for them. Bruce Voss, who chairs the BOE’s Finance and Infrastructure Committee, said Thursday that the budget passed by lawmakers awaiting the governor’s signature or veto did not fund “the $32.5 million teacher differential that this board approved [...]

HSTA recognizes Farrington High ‘SPEDucator’ with 2021 Pono Award

2021-04-21T16:26:21-10:00April 19, 2021|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Sean Witwer, a special education math teacher at Farrington High School, was selected as our 2021 Pono Award winner for his passion and advocacy to expand learning opportunities for special education students.

Almost all weighted student formula, special education funding restored for next school year

2021-03-02T09:50:00-10:00February 18, 2021|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Most of the millions of dollars worth of sweeping job cuts and program reductions planned for public schools next fall will be restored, Hawaii State Department of Education officials informed the Board of Education Thursday. Board members also made shortage differential funding a priority for next school year and did not approve using federal stimulus funds to hire outside tutors.

Responding to testimony, BOE overrules superintendent to keep shortage differentials

2021-02-18T21:37:06-10:00February 18, 2021|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Hawaii Board of Education Thursday afternoon voted overwhelmingly to continue paying shortage differentials to public school teachers across the state, directing Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto to rescind her memo by the close of business Friday that would have ended the $3,000 to $10,000 payments to teachers in areas faced with chronic vacancies.

Superintendent plans to discontinue shortage differentials that decreased vacancies

2021-02-14T16:03:28-10:00February 12, 2021|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The superintendent’s memo is misleading. While she indicates that the shortage differential program was a pilot, this is not the case. These differentials were enacted and approved by the Board of Education based on Kishimoto's request on Dec. 5, 2019.

Proposed cuts to weighted student formula, special education will hurt schools, keiki

2020-12-03T07:35:00-10:00December 3, 2020|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

HSTA President Corey Rosenlee informed the media and our members Wednesday about proposed cuts in the Department of Education’s proposed operating budget and the damaging impacts on our keiki and schools. “HSTA does not want these cuts to go into place until our lawmakers and the public know the ramifications of these cuts,” he said.

HSTA members speak out to BOE on telework, SPED concerns, more

2020-09-18T13:00:00-10:00September 18, 2020|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

At Thursday’s BOE meeting, Rosenlee testified about HSTA members’ concerns and said, “The lack of action and transparency from the DOE has put the lives and health of teachers, staff, and our students in jeopardy. This was clearly evident today when the Department of Education and the Department of Health announced metrics for reopening schools. HSTA was never consulted in the creation of these metrics.”

HSTA submits testimony on behalf of nearly 200 educators who fear retaliation

2020-09-17T15:59:00-10:00September 17, 2020|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

In written testimony ahead of the BOE’s general meeting Thursday afternoon, members cited flawed Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) policies and procedures in response to COVID-19.

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