SB 2616

THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
2616
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating
to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
���� SECTION 1.� The legislature finds that it is important
for the State's schools to have enough teachers to create a stable and
qualified teaching workforce that can maintain educational quality and improve
academic outcomes for students across the State.
���� The
legislature further finds that employing unlicensed individuals as teachers on
an emergency basis offers a critical mechanism for schools to ensure every
classroom, from kindergarten through grade twelve, is staffed by a dedicated
educator.� The existing emergency hiring policy
was designed to address the ongoing chronic teacher shortage by allowing
schools to utilize qualified individuals from diverse professional backgrounds
and locations while those individuals work to attain teaching credentials.
���� To
continue as educators on a non-emergency basis, prospective teachers must
complete the appropriate undergraduate coursework, standardized tests, an
accredited certification program, fieldwork, and successful teaching
evaluations to earn their teaching credentials in the State within three years.� However, the legislature recognizes that many
prospective teachers are not able to complete these requirements within the
existing timeline.� Completing a
licensure program, which often includes student teaching and rigorous exams,
while managing a full-time classroom workload is incredibly difficult.� Under the existing law, a teacher who is
performing well in the classroom but has not completed each licensure
requirement by the end of their third year as an emergency hire will be let go
and replaced with a new, untrained recruit.�
���� The
legislature therefore finds that extending the term an unlicensed individual
can work on an emergency basis while earning their teaching credentials to five
years will acknowledge the difficulty of the teachers' dual workloads and
reduce the turnover of new teachers who are close to completing licensure
requirements but need more time.� Extending
the emergency hiring timeline will also allow the education system to
capitalize on the valuable experience an emergency hire has gained and
circumvent the difficulties associated with vacant positions and employing a
replacement as a long-term substitute or new hire.� Furthermore, allowing for more time to
complete a licensure program can help retain those teachers who are passionate
about education but need additional time to attain licensure.
���� The
legislature also finds that the current three-year timeline often hinders the
ability of schools to maintain long-term classroom stability through
consistent, uninterrupted instruction; foster stronger connections between
educators, students, and the community; and provide ample time to allow emergency
hires to complete the path to becoming licensed teachers.� Granting emergency hires an additional two
years to teach would provide for five years of continuous instruction at the
same school.� This extended term would
facilitate stronger relationships within the school community, particularly by
affording educators better opportunities to support struggling students.� Additionally, studies indicate that teacher
effectiveness significantly improves with experience and that teachers require
up to five years to reach peak effectiveness.�
Forcing emergency hires to exit the classroom after only three years
creates unnecessary disruption to student progress and a loss of valuable
skillsets developed through on-the-job experience.
���� Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to allow the department of education and charter
schools to employ unlicensed individuals on an emergency basis for up to five
years, pursuant to rules adopted by the Hawaii teacher standards board.
���� SECTION
2.� Section
302A-804, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:
���� 1.� By amending subsection (b) to read:
���� "(b)� The department's powers and duties under this
subpart shall be limited to:
���� (1)� Hiring, except in emergency situations
as described in this chapter, licensed teachers to teach in their fields of
licensing;
���� (2)� Reporting data annually to the board
about the supply of, and demand for, teachers in department schools, including
the identification of shortage areas, out‑of-field teaching assignments,
number of classrooms without a licensed teacher for a quarter or more, numbers
of teachers teaching out-of-field, numbers and types of courses and classes
taught by out-of-field teachers, and numbers and types of students taught by
out-of-field teachers;
���� (3)� On an emergency and case-by-case basis,
hiring unlicensed individuals; provided that:
��������� (A)� A list of the names, work sites,
teaching assignments, and progress toward licensing of these individuals shall
be reported to the board and any changes shall be updated on a monthly basis by
the department;
��������� (B)� There are no properly licensed teachers
for the specific assignments for which the individuals are being hired; and
��������� (C)� No individual [[may]] shall
be employed by the department on an emergency basis for more than [[three]]
five years; provided that the board shall adopt rules to facilitate
emergency hiring pursuant to this paragraph; provided further that in the
case of a declaration of a state of emergency pursuant to section 127A-14, the
board, pursuant to its powers in section 302A‑803(a)(18), [[may]] shall
extend the [[three-year]] five-year period by authorizing an
extension to complete licensing requirements.�
During this time, the individual shall demonstrate active pursuit of
licensing in each year of employment;
���� (4)� Submitting an annual report to the
board documenting:
��������� (A)� The number of emergency hires in
department schools by subject matter areas and by school;
��������� (B)� The reasons and duration of employment
for the emergency hiring enumerated in subparagraph (A); and
��������� (C)� The department's efforts to address the
shortages described in subparagraph (A); and
���� (5)� Providing any other information
requested by the board that is pertinent
to its powers and duties."
���� 2.� By amending subsection (d) to read:
���� "(d)� A charter school's powers and duties under
this subpart shall be limited to:
���� (1)� Except in emergency situations as
described in this chapter, hiring licensed teachers to teach in their fields of
licensing;
���� (2)� On an emergency and case-by-case basis,
hiring unlicensed individuals; provided that:
��������� (A)� A list of the names, work sites,
teaching assignments, and progress toward licensing of these individuals shall
be reported to the board and any changes shall be updated on a monthly basis by
the charter schools;
��������� (B)� There are no properly licensed teachers
for the specific assignments for which the individuals are being hired; and
��������� (C)� No individual [[may]] shall
be employed by the charter school on an emergency basis for more than [[three]]
five years; provided that the board shall adopt rules to facilitate
emergency hiring pursuant to this paragraph; provided further that in the
case of a declaration of a state of emergency pursuant to section 127A-14, the
board, pursuant to its powers in section 302A‑803(a)(18), [[may]] shall
extend the [[three-year]] five-year period by authorizing an
extension to complete licensing requirements.�
During this time, the individual shall demonstrate active pursuit of
licensing in each year of employment;
���� (3)� Submitting an annual
report to the board documenting:
��������� (A)� The number of emergency hires in the
charter school by subject matter areas;
��������� (B)� The reasons and duration of employment
for the emergency hiring enumerated in subparagraph (A);
��������� (C)� The number of classrooms without a
licensed teacher for a quarter or more;
��������� (D)� The number and type of courses and
classes taught by out-of-field teachers; and
��������� (E)� The number and type of students taught
by out-of-field teachers; and
���� (4)� Providing any other information
requested by the board that is pertinent to the charter school's powers and
duties."
���� SECTION
3.� Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.� New statutory
material is underscored.
���� SECTION 4.� This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
DOE; HTSB;
Charter Schools; Emergency Hires; Rules
Description:
Permits
the Department of Education and charter schools to hire unlicensed individuals
as teachers on an emergency basis for five, rather than three, years.� Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board
to adopt rules.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.