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Committee backs provisional visiting international teacher license, asks standards board to set rules
Summary
After extended testimony from educators, unions and regulators, the House Committee on Education voted to pass an HD1 that directs the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board to set licensure requirements for a visiting international (J‑1) teacher license and report back to the Legislature.
The House Committee on Education voted to advance an amended version of HB 439 to create a visiting international teacher license and require the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board (HTSB) to set the license’s requirements and report back to the Legislature before the next session.
Supporters told the committee the change would ease chronic teacher shortages and recognize the qualifications of international educators. James Urbaniak, human resources officer with the Hawaii State Department of Education, said the DOE currently employs about 218 J‑1 teachers and that “close to 200 already have graduate degrees or higher; about close to 30 have PhD or doctorates.”
The committee’s amended language keeps the statute’s first sentence establishing the visiting international teacher license and removes other draft statutory language, instead directing HTSB to adopt licensure standards by administrative rule. The bill as amended also requires HTSB to report back to the Legislature on supports for J‑1 teachers.
Why it matters: Testimony and committee discussion showed tension between easing workforce shortages and assuring consistent state licensure standards. The Hawaii Teachers Standards Board and the Department of the Attorney General urged care in drafting to avoid confusing statutory provisions and to leave technical licensure specifications to administrative rules.
What advocates said: A number of J‑1 teachers and school staff testified in support. Digi Grace “Pinky” Francisco, a public school teacher who came to Hawaii on a J‑1 visa, described the Philippines’ teacher preparation and argued for recognition of international credentials. Urbaniak said the program has yielded “incredible” results for schools and communities but that many J‑1 teachers face pay and credential barriers.
Concerns raised: Felicia Villalobos, executive director of HTSB, and Anne Horiuchi from the Attorney General’s Office expressed concerns that licensing requirements belong in rules rather than statute and that the board must be able to ensure standards are applied equitably. HTSB stressed its lack of capacity to vet every foreign preparation program and explained that the Praxis/basic skills testing requirement functions as a baseline when programs have not been vetted.
Next steps: The committee approved the HD1 amendment and passed the bill out of committee with the date defected to 07/01/3000. The measure’s detailed licensure criteria will be developed by HTSB and returned to the Legislature in a report.
