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Committee extends timeline, requests teacher recruitment input for Kapolei K–12 Kula Kaiapuni plan
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Summary
The committee passed HCR 181/HR 171 with HD1, asking for progress reports in 2027 and 2028 and a final action plan before 2029; amendments require the action plan to address recruitment and hiring of qualified Hawaiian‑language teachers.
The House Committee on Education voted to advance HCR 181 and HR 171, which request the Department of Education to convene a shared decision‑making committee to develop an action plan to establish a K–12 Kula Kaiapuni (Hawaiian immersion school) in Kapolei.
Tammy Chung, deputy superintendent for the Department of Education, told the committee DOE has developed a strategic plan for Kaiapuni expansion but faces a primary constraint: a shortage of licensed teachers proficient in Hawaiian and limits on permit holders. Community witnesses, including Andrea Diaz Machado, urged passage to expand place‑based Hawaiian education and emphasized local cultural connections.
The committee adopted an HD1 extending the reporting timeline: it asks the decision‑making committee to provide progress reports before the 2027 and 2028 legislative sessions and a final report prior to 2029. The HD1 also adds explicit language that the action plan must include strategies addressing hiring and recruitment of qualified teachers proficient in Hawaiian, reflecting DOE’s testimony about teacher‑supply constraints.
Next steps: The DOE and the convened committee are expected to use the priority placement process and the department’s interim guidance to inform enrollment and capacity planning and to return progress reports per the HD1 schedule.
