Hawaii officials hope grant will alleviate teacher shortage

(The Center Square) — Hawaii is receiving a nearly $5 million grant for an apprenticeship program officials hope will alleviate the state's teacher shortage.

The money from the $4.9 million grant will train 142 teachers, according to Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke.

“The reality is Hawaii has faced a teacher shortage for years. Addressing it will take a coordinated effort, so I’m grateful to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board for their vision to empower our future teachers,” Luke said. “We have to support our future teachers by removing financial barriers and providing the benefits and mentorship they need to succeed.”

The program was initiated in Tennessee in 2022. Hawaii is one of nine states receiving the grant, which will be administered by the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, according to a news release.

"The ‘earn and learn’ apprenticeship framework is a game-changer for Hawaii as it opens up more opportunities for homegrown talent that reflects the cultural diversity of our communities,” said Felicia Villalobos, executive director of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board. “By the end of their program, they’ll be fully licensed teachers with two to three years in the classroom experience.”

Half of Hawaii's teachers leave the profession within five years, according to the Hawaii Department of Education. The Hawaii State Teachers Association says more than 60,000 of Hawaii's children are not taught by a certified teacher. The number of teachers leaving Hawaii has increased by 70% since 2012, according to the association.

Officials have blamed Hawaii's high cost of living for the exodus of teachers and others. Gov. Josh Green signed a bill last year allowing the School Facilities Authority to join public and private agencies in developing off or on-campus housing for teachers and other staff.

The median price for a Hawaii residence is $875,000, according to a study conducted by the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii earlier this year.

"In 2023, a household needed to earn 183% of the median household income in order to afford the median single-family home, where 'afford' means to spend less than 30% of income on mortgage payments," the authors said in the report. "Only one in five households in Hawaii met this criteria, a significant decrease from our previous report. Over the past three years, the share of households who can afford the median single-family home has continuously declined, falling from 44% to 30% and now 20%."

A starting teacher with a bachelor's degree will make $51,835, while those with a doctorate's degree will make $66,750, according to the Hawaii Department of Education . The highest salary for the 2024-2025 school year is $97,943 for a teacher with a doctorate and experience.