HONOLULU (KHON2) — When news broke that the federal government would eliminate its special education department, the effects rippled quickly across Hawaiʻi’s schools.
For families already balancing limited access to resources and support, some parents said the change has deepened anxiety and uncertainty about what comes next.
“It’s very scary,” said Shalini Solomon, contracted behavior analyst with Hawaiʻi Department of Education. “Parents are seeing that, and it’s scary because they are sending their children to school. For us working in the schools, it’s scary because we understand what this means for the limited resources.”
1. Fewer people, fewer resources
For Solomon, the first and most visible impact isn’t abstract policy; it’s people. Classrooms that once had a network of trained aides and assistants are now stretching to cover the same needs with fewer hands…