Establishes a Teacher Workforce Housing Stipend Program to support teacher retention at public and charter schools classified as hard-to-staff. Requires reports to the Legislature. Amends the purpose and uses of the Teachers' Housing Revolving Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Establishes the Hawaii Civics Collaborative within the Department of Accounting and General Services to promote civics engagement and perpetuate the Aloha Spirit. Requires the Department of Education, University of Hawaii Matsunaga Institute for Peace, Public Access Room, and other community organizations to facilitate civic engagement education statewide. Establishes two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) civic education specialist positions within the Department of Education. Appropriates funds.
Requires the Department of Education to establish a Numeracy Coaching Program to provide numeracy coaches in certain Department of Education elementary schools, middle schools, and intermediate schools to support teachers, improve instruction, and ensure that students develop a strong foundation in mathematics. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to develop an alternative pathway for a visiting international educator permit aligned to the duration of the educator's J-1 visa program. Repeals 6/30/2031.
Authorizes the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach the local farm to school meal goal of thirty per cent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Requires public high schools under the Department of Education to provide plantbased meals as an option under the school meals program.
SB 712 expands eligibility for the state's Preschool Open Doors Program, allowing more preschool programs to participate. It removes a requirement that providers must be accredited, simplifying access for eligible preschools. This change directly affects preschool programs seeking to join or continue in the state-funded initiative. The bill aims to increase program availability by lowering administrative barriers for providers.
Requires the Department of Education to implement financial literacy instruction into existing courses in public high schools that have sufficient overlap with financial literacy program standards beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. Requires the Board of Education to provide professional development to teachers. Allows the Board of Education to adopt rules. Appropriates funds.
Appropriates funds to the Department of Education to transition the Red Raider Productions student organization at Kauai High School into a learning center through the Department of Education's learning centers program.
Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires the Department of Education to require the teaching of financial literacy to be included in the existing personal transition plan requirement for each student.
Requires home schooled students to participate in certain annual in person tests at the public school that the student would otherwise be required to attend.
