H.B. 2257 Summary

• Establishes a Public Education Scholarship Program administered by the University of Hawaii to address teacher shortages in Hawaii's public schools.

• Provides scholarships covering up to 60 credits toward a bachelor's degree in education for state residents, contingent on maintaining satisfactory academic progress and earning an education degree.

• Requires scholarship recipients to teach in a public school classroom of the Department of Education or a Hawaii public charter school for up to seven years within ten years after graduation and teacher licensure.

• Recipients who fail to complete the required teaching commitment or who leave the program must repay the full amount of scholarship funds received.

• Appropriates funds from general revenues for fiscal year 2024-2025 and takes effect July 1, 2024.