Hawaii
U.S.
Rank
Rank
#39 D
Overall PPI Score: 62%
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Leadership
Your Governor:
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Josh Green (R) (25)
First term began in 2022 (two-term limit).
Josh Green, elected in 2022, picked up where Governor David Ige left off and not much has changed for families opportunity wise. While he did increase funding for Pre-K facilities, it may be time to take a more serious review of innovative approaches and introduce them to the Paradise of the Pacific.
STATE LEGISLATURE:
The legislature has introduced a piece of education opportunity legislation since a small improvement for charter school access to facilities in 2019. Most legislative initiatives tinkered with funding formulas for pre-K facilities and teacher apprenticeship programs. The status quo seems to be the driving force with regard to education opportunities for families.
Constitutional Issues
Hawaii's Supreme Court has interpreted the state's Blaine Amendment broadly and restrictively.
Transparency
School report cards are easily accessible on their Department of Education homepage by clicking “Vision for Success.” The ‘Strive HI’ platform provides lots of information, individual school reports are comprehensive, clear and easy to read, providing a snapshot on enrollment, performance on state assessments, achievement gaps, and student satisfaction. There is also a useful section that highlights the percentage of students that: graduate on time, enroll in postsecondary institutions, and complete a Career and Technical Education program by 12th grade. Archived reports date back to the 2012-13 school year, so parents can see whether a school has been improving or declining over the past decade.
Educational options are also easily found on the homepage in two clicks: “Teaching and Learning → Education Innovation.”
School board elections in Hawaii align with the general election cycle, empowering parents with greater influence in their decision-making due to increased voter turnout.