More Unlicensed Teachers Are Filling In Gaps In Hawaiʻi Classrooms

As the new academic year started last month, more students were being taught by educators who had not yet completed the training or testing needed to earn a Hawai‘i teacher's license.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Education reported 142 teacher vacancies earlier this month, a jump from the 73 unfilled positions last school year. That number is still significantly lower than when vacancies peaked at roughly 1,000 positions in fall 2022. 

On the other hand, the number of unlicensed teachers– also known as emergency hires – has continued to climb. Schools are employing roughly 1,200 emergency hires this year, a 20% increase from last year. Emergency hires must hold a bachelor's degree and actively work toward their teacher licenses. Legislation passed this spring gives these hires up to five years to earn their credentials. 

Of these educators, just over 40% have a teacher's license in another state or country but still need to receive their Hawaiʻi credentials, education department spokesperson Kimberly Yuen said in an emailed statement. Even with the recent increase in emergency hires, these teachers make up less than 10% of the educator workforce, she said. 

"HIDOE’s longer-term focus is on supporting these teachers in obtaining Hawaiʻi licensure and building careers in our public schools," Yuen wrote. 

Teacher shortages are more severe in the education department's Hawaiian immersion program, also known as Kaiapuni. Currently, more than 25 schools offer Kaiapuni programs enrolling more than 2,500 students. 

While demand for Kaiapuni programs is growing, the state's supply of qualified teachers fluent in Hawaiian hasn't kept pace. 

Of the 186 Kaiapuni teacher positions this year, 18% of positions are covered by unlicensed educators in the process of earning their credentials, while 7% are vacant and filled by substitute teachers, according to a recent presentation to the state education board. 

In comparison, less than 5% of teacher positions statewide are vacant, Office of Hawaiian Education director Kauʻi Sang said during Thursday's Board of Education meeting. 

The state has tried to improve its recruitment and retention of Kaiapuni teachers by offering an $8,000 annual bonus to licensed teachers, and the education department is offering mentoring programs to provide more support to educators and reduce burnout. But it's hard for schools to compete for a limited pool of fluent Hawaiian language speakers when they're receiving offers from the tourism sector and other government agencies, Sang said.

Families have faced continued uncertainty around the immersion options available for their children, with some parents having to send their kids to English-language schools or campuses with Kaiapuni programs well outside their local districts. The state is facing an ongoing lawsuit alleging the education department had fallen short of its constitutional duty to provide students with access to Hawaiian immersion education. 

While the state has previously relied on teachers-in-training to fill vacancies in Kaiapuni classrooms, it needs a more strategic approach to growing its pool of qualified staff, education board member Kahele Dukelow said during Thursday's meeting. 

"We have reached a point where we have tipped over," Dukelow said.

Meanwhile, the number of new international teachers in Hawaiʻi schools has held steady from last year, with a cohort of 155 educators entering classrooms this year. The teachers, who primarily come from the Philippines, can work in the United States for up to five years.