The Hawaii Education Association (HEA) is set to hold their annual summit this week on O'ahu with a focus on tackling the persistent issue of teacher shortages in the state. This gathering, titled "Building the Future of Education in Hawaiʻi: Cultivating Tomorrow’s Teachers, Empowering Today’s Educators," aims to create a collaborative framework among Hawaii's community members, agencies, and organizations to address this educational challenge. The summit is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Elizabeth Fuller Hall of the YWCA in downtown Honolulu, as reported by Big Island Now.
With Hawaii's teacher-to-population ratio ranking among the lowest in the country, the summit is to rally educators and experts to exchange ideas and practices that can provide solutions. According to a statement obtained by Hawaii News Now, HEA Program Manager Dr. Lynn Hammonds emphasized solutions that might be found within the state's high schools, introducing a teacher pipeline and apprenticeships for young, aspiring educators.
At the forefront of these discussions, HEA President Joan Lewis highlighted the importance of supporting high school students recruited to become teachers. "This aligns with the goals of the US Departments of Labor and Education to strengthen the homegrown pipeline for the teaching profession," Lewis told Big Island Now. The summit will feature panel discussions with representatives from various educational sectors in Hawaii, including the Department of Education, the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, and the University of Hawaii system.
Adding to the expertise, Carla Warren, senior partner with the National Center for Grow Your Own, will serve as the summit's keynote speaker, bringing insight from her experience developing teacher support frameworks and a teacher pre-apprenticeship program. "The U.S. Department of Labor has developed a new apprenticeship program that opens the door to new opportunities for individuals to become K-12 teachers," Warren stated in an interview with Hawaii News Now. Warren's success in West Virginia has acted as a blueprint for a similar apprenticeship program being developed in Hawaii, supported by federal grant funds.
The HEA is currently backing teachers from eight local high schools participating in Project Equal Access and piloting Educators Rising. These schools, as told to Big Island Now by HEA President Joan Lewis, include Kauaʻi, Waiākea, Maui High School, and several others across the islands. Furthermore, the HEA is also assisting with travel expenses for neighbor island teachers, reinforcing the collaborative spirit to overcome educational hurdles in Hawaii.
