STAND. COM. REP. NO. 78-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1825

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1825 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TEACHER STANDARDS BOARD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Education and charter schools to employ unlicensed individuals on an emergency basis for up to five years, rather than three years, pursuant to rules adopted by the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Executive Office on Early Learning; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Kaʻū Voices; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission.

Your Committee finds that the State's ongoing teacher shortage exacerbates the need for qualified educators. Your Committee notes that employing unlicensed individuals as teachers on an emergency basis helps to address the staffing shortage while these individuals work to attain teacher licensure. However, completing the licensure program while teaching full-time is challenging and under existing law, a well-performing teacher that is unable to obtain a teacher's license by the third year of work as an emergency hire must be let go and replaced with a new individual.

Your Committee further finds that extending the emergency hire period to five years would allow individuals more time to obtain their teaching credentials, reduce turnover, and maintain classroom stability. The extended emergency hiring period will also foster stronger school relationships and provide students with consistent support, as teacher effectiveness typically improves with experience over several years.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1825, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1825, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair