On July 1, 2024, Governor Green had a press release of 16 bills he signed into law. One of the bills many may not be aware of is the minimum teacher requirement in the state.
Authorizes the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board to consider qualified individuals with at least an associate’s degree or high school diploma with comparable education and coursework, industry experience, and content expertise to teach career and technical education courses. (CD1)
Simply put, a person with a high school diploma can teach career and technical education courses. Lowering the minimum requirements was always up for discussion. However, the Governor made it official. It is possible to teach in the Hawaii Department of Education with only a high school diploma and work experience.
It’s a win-win situation for those without a Bachelor’s degree. They can now be teachers with only a high school diploma. However, it does send a message to all educators who went to college and took the necessary college courses to earn the opportunity to be public school teachers in Hawaii.