HI SCR138

Request Department of Education and University of Hawaii System to develop programming and educational supports, including stipend funding, to help educational assistants and long-term substitute teachers earn teaching degrees and become full-time certified teachers.

Recognize Hawaii's ongoing teacher shortages and that many public school classes are taught by educational assistants or long-term substitute teachers rather than full-time certified educators.

Identify prohibitive higher education costs as a significant barrier preventing educational assistants and long-term substitute teachers from pursuing teaching degrees and certification.

Require Department of Education to establish guidelines and criteria for distributing stipend funding to eligible participants.

Direct certified copies of the resolution be sent to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, and Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii.