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Committee defers bill on international teacher licensure amid questions over Praxis and evaluation
Summary
House Bill 439, which would create an international teaching license and expand pathways for J‑1 teachers, was deferred after lengthy testimony from the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board and the Department of Education about Praxis testing, third‑party credential evaluation and quality assurance.
The House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce deferred House Bill 439 on Thursday after extended testimony and questioning about how to assure the quality of international teacher candidates and how to avoid unintended consequences.
The Hawaii Teachers Standards Board urged caution, noting the need to preserve quality standards and pointing to long‑standing concerns about third‑party lenders that recruit J‑1 teachers. "We would suggest offering more tutoring, more studying for the Praxis exam to take it," the board’s representative said, and flagged predatory lending practices overseas that can saddle J‑1 teachers with high interest debt.
The Department of Education said it supports creating an international license in principle but proposed several safeguards. Sean Bacon, assistant superintendent for the DOE, said the department seeks parity with other states and recommended third‑party credential evaluation and state‑approved teacher education equivalency, combined with a time‑limited license tied to valid J‑1 status.
James Urbaniac, DOE human resources officer, argued the current Praxis requirement can create unequal treatment when comparing teachers who arrive from other U.S. states and those trained abroad. "Why are the teachers from The Philippines required to take Praxis exams here in Hawaii to prove their intelligence when other teachers from other states are not? And that is the core issue," Urbaniac said. He described processes that use credential‑evaluation organizations to verify that foreign degrees are comparable to U.S. qualifications.
Why it matters: The state faces teacher shortages and is actively recruiting J‑1 teachers from countries such as the Philippines to address staffing gaps, particularly in schools with large Filipino student populations. Supporters said the international license would help recruit and retain teachers; opponents and the standards board warned that quality assurance is essential to protect students.
What the committee did: Because concerns about testing, credential evaluation and language/functional readiness remained unresolved, the committee deferred HB 439 for further study rather than advancing it.
Discussion vs. decision: Testimony covered the mechanics of equivalency review, the role of Praxis testing as an assurance tool (including its availability online), and concerns about language and professional scope differences between countries. The committee heard that some principals already pay Praxis fees for recruits and that credential evaluation services (NACES) are used in hiring.
Next steps: Deferment allows stakeholders — the Teachers Standards Board, DOE, and other parties — time to propose clarified language on required tests, acceptable credential evaluators, and any financial or procedural supports for recruits.
Ending note: Lawmakers signaled urgency to address staffing shortages while asking agencies to narrow implementation details to ensure readiness and protect students.
