Unlicensed Teacher Rates Are Increasing in Hawaiʻi Public Schools
While teacher shortages in public schools are easing in the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi, the growing reliance on unlicensed teachers is drawing increasing attention. According to the Hawaiʻi Department of Education’s (DOE) employment report for the 2024–2025 academic year, nearly 48 percent of newly hired teachers last year did not hold a teaching license. This represents a significant increase compared to the 27 percent share of unlicensed new teachers recorded in the 2020–2021 school year.
The report notes that this group also includes educators who have completed teacher preparation programs but have not yet obtained a state teaching license. Within the system, these individuals are classified as “emergency hires.”
The steady rise in the number of unlicensed teachers in the post-pandemic period has been driven in part by wage increases offered to this category of staff. State authorities have also introduced a range of support programs that allow emergency hires to complete their licensing requirements while working. These teachers are permitted to remain in schools for up to three years, provided they make progress toward obtaining their license.
Meanwhile, the state has implemented measures such as bonuses and salary increases to encourage teacher retention, particularly in hard-to-staff schools. Speaking at a Board of Education meeting, Deputy Superintendent for Education Sean Bacon said efforts to boost local teacher recruitment are ongoing, adding that new career pathways are being developed for high school students leading to teaching and educational assistant roles.