Become a Teacher in Hawaii
Hawaii State Department of Education
http://doe.k12.hi.us/PO Box 2360 Honolulu, HI 96804
(808) 586-3230
Hawaii highlights
Become a teacher in Hawaii
Hawaii Teacher Shortage areas
Earn Your Hawaii Teaching Credential
To earn your Hawaii teaching credential you will have to complete the appropriate amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. Learn more here about getting your Teaching Credential in Hawaii.
Hawaii issues three types of licenses. The Provisional License, issued to graduates of Hawaii State Approved Teacher Education Programs is renewable annually for three years. The Standard License is available to approved applicants with valid teaching licenses or degrees from another state or with teaching experience outside Hawaii. The Advanced (10-year) License is available to teachers who have either completed a graduate degree or received a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certificate.
Learn more about getting your teaching credential.
Return to the topPrerequisite Coursework in Hawaii
All states require that prospective teachers have at least a Bachelor’s Degree to and complete a state-approved teacher preparation program to receive certification. Some states also have specific course and credit-hour requirements. Hawaii does not list specific course or credit hour requirements, but every college or university teacher preparation program will have requirements of its own. Contact your teacher preparation program or the Department of Education for more information.
Return to the topRequired Tests for Hawaii
Hawaii requires the PPST (Pre Professional Skills Test) to fulfill the Basic Skills Test requirement, and the Praxis II: Subject Tests in your specialty area. More specific requirements are listed here.
Read more about teacher certification tests.
Return to the topHawaii Teacher Certification Programs
To earn your teaching credential you will have to complete the appropriate amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. A list of accredited teacher preparation programs in Hawaii can be found here.
Return to the topAlternate Teacher Certification in Hawaii
Hawaii offers the Re-specialization in Special Education (RISE)licensing program that helps special education teachers with only a Bachelor's degree reach their certificate through a two-year integrated course of on-the-job training. There is also a one-year course for teachers who already hold an elementary or secondary teaching certificate but are not certified to teach special education.
Mountain Pacific Region Troops to Teachers Return to the topCertification Reciprocity in Hawaii
Interstate reciprocity is a program that allows teachers certified in one state to teach in another state. To find out which other state teaching licenses can be used in Hawaii, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page . Or, for more specific questions about your situation, contact the Hawaii Department of Education.
Return to the topBenefits of a Masters in Education in Hawaii
It is no longer enough to just have years of experience for teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, the careers of teachers increasingly depend on their results in the classroom. A Master’s in Teaching will give you more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as more hands-on student teaching experience with a mentor. After a Master’s program, you will be able to achieve better results in the classroom and have more job security and higher pay.
Teachers holding a Master’s degree in Hawaii can expect to earn you $2,000-$3,000 more, depending on years of experience than those with only a Bachelor’s degree.
Learn more about the Benefits of a Master's in Education.
Return to the topMasters in Education Financial Aid
Hawaii residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship as well as the TEACH Grant, a grant which gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need school.
Find out more about financing your education (Link to ‘Financing your education page’)#
Return to the topHawaii Teacher Salary and Incentives
The average teacher in Hawaii makes $48,865 per year, which is 125% of the state average income. More salary specifics based on education and experience can be found on the Hawaii Hawaii Teachers’ Salary Schedule for 2010-11. Hawaii is currently experiencing a shortage in special education trained teachers, so additional salary and benefits are being offered in that area.
Learn more about teacher salaries. Return to the topHawaii Teacher Benefits and Retirement
The Hawaii Department of Education offers several employee benefit plans. These retirement benefits are run through the Hawaii Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) and include optional health benefits through the Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association, flexible spending accounts, tax deferral programs, Resources for Employee Assistance & Counseling Help (REACH), and workers’ compensation benefits. Public employees in Hawaii can retire at age 62 with at least 10 years of service, and at age 55 with at least 30 years of service.
Learn more about benefits for teachers. Return to the topProfessional Development for Teachers in Hawaii
Professional Development in Hawaii is run by PDE3: Professional Development for Experiences that Educate and Empower. PDE3 runs the Teacher Professional Development Credit Program, through which teachers can take courses and reach ‘Highly Qualified’ status. PDE3 also runs an integrated, multi-year induction program that provides activities and workshops for beginning teachers.
Return to the topHawaii Teaching Jobs
The Hawaii Department of Education maintains a Job Opportunities site for educators, which provides information and resources regarding teacher certification, preparation, and job placement. Hawaii also recruits returning military personnel through Troops-to-Teachers.
Learn more about finding a teaching job.
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