September 19, 2024

STATE OF HAWAII
BOARD OF EDUCATION
GENERAL BUSINESS MEETING

MINUTES

Queen Liliuokalani Building
1390 Miller Street, Room 404
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Thursday, September 19, 2024

PRESENT:
Roy M. Takumi, Chairperson
Bill Arakaki, Vice Chairperson
Kaimana Barcarse
Elynne Chung
Kahele Dukelow
Mary Hattori
Ken Kuraya
Wesley Lo

EXCUSED:
Makana McClellan

ALSO PRESENT:
Keith Hayashi, Superintendent, Department of Education
Elizabeth Higashi, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance, Department of Education
Ethan Yagi, Board Student Representative
David Tom, Military Liaison
Capsun Poe, Board Executive Director
Wimmie Wong Lui, Board Analyst
Lady Garrett, Secretary

I. Call to Order

Board Chairperson Roy Takumi called the Board of Education (Board) special meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.

Board Chairperson Takumi announced that agenda item VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year will be deferred until the next general business meeting.

The meeting was recessed at 1:31 p.m. and reconvened at 1:35 p.m.

II. Approval of meeting minutes of August 15, 2024, and August 29, 2024, special meetings

ACTION: Approve the meeting minutes of August 15, 2024, and August 29, 2024 special meetings. (Barcarse/Dukelow). The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.

III. Report of the superintendent

Updates on student transportation;

Operational updates relating to federal Every Student Succeeds Act amendments and teacher paychecks;

Attendance awareness campaign; and

Awards and recognitions for students, employees, and/or schools

Board Chairperson Takumi called on Keith Hayashi, Superintendent to provide the report.

Updates on student transportation
Hayashi reported that due to the ongoing shortage of school bus drivers in order to prioritize service for students with disabilities the Department announced that routes would be suspended impacting 3,720 students. The Department has been steadily restoring routes with a total of 96 routes restored and ongoing efforts are continuing due to the emergency proclamation signed by Governor Josh Green to exempt procurement roles and allow for subcontract work.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) amendments and teacher paychecks
Hayashi reported that the Department has experienced opening of the school year challenges and 419 Department and 100 charter school teachers did not receive their paychecks. The Department provided temporary checks of $2,000 to help mitigate financial challenges. He shared that a part of the delay was due to pre-hiring tasks and all teachers will receive their full pay on the September 20 paycheck. An independent contractor will conduct a thorough review and the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) has filed a grievance. On September 6, amendments to ESSA were approved by the USDOE to adjust targets which means the Department can focus support for students on language proficiency.

Attendance awareness campaign
Hayashi reported that attendance is still an issue but has been improving after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department continues to emphasize that attending school readily supports students and an attendance awareness campaign “Attend today, Achieve tomorrow,” was launched as a multi-year effort.

Awards and recognitions for students, employees, and/or schools
Hayashi reported that the following individuals have been selected as complex area and charter school teachers of the year: Leah ‘Aiwohi, Kauai High School; Ian Cablay, Waialua High School; Tenelle Clark, Waianae Elementary School; Lauren Collier, Kaneohe Elementary School; Robin Cone-Murakami Barros, The School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability (SEEQS) Public Charter School; Leah Gouker, Pahoa High School; Nicole Laeha, Kailua Intermediate School; Karla “Viviana” Martinez, Konawaena High School; Jessie OʻNeill-Prest, Kihei Elementary School; Jaime “Kumu Eva” Palakiko, Lahainaluna High School; Jonathan Peralto, Waiakea Intermediate School; Jennifer Sato, Kuhio Elementary School; Bryan Silver, Kalani High School; Erin Takamura-Luu, Red Hill Elementary School; Sherry Tenn, Waipahu High School; and Kim Virtudazo, Campbell High School. The overall teacher of the year winner will be announced on October 10, 2024.

Hayashi also reported that the United States Department of Education (USDOE) awarded the Department with a five-year $60 million Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) to help advance effective evidence-based literacy practices. The USDOE Blue Ribbon program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools on their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups, the announcement will be made on Monday, September 23, 2024.

Board Chairperson Takumi called for public testimony on agenda item III.

Ann Mahi, Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA), testified on behalf of HSTA and expressed appreciation for the terms of the settlement agreement relating to the teacher paycheck issue. She requested that the Department look at issues of staffing since it is and emphasized that teachers should be taken care of.

Andrea Eishelmann, HSTA, testified that HSTA has been in discussions on the details of the settlement to get the paycheck issue addressed and noted that there were over 500 teachers affected who missed their paychecks.

Osa Tui, HSTA, testified that the teachers not receiving their paycheck have suffered catastrophic consequences.

Susan Pcola-Davis, member of the public, testified that there is a direct correlation to student transportation and attendance. She referenced the testimonies submitted by teachers which is appalling and the onus is on the Department since the teacher paycheck issue has not happened before.

Board Member Lo asked Tui to share about his experience in the competitive market for jobs that the delay affects the ability to hire individuals. Tui replied that anything deters anyone from coming into the teaching profession. Board Member Lo stated that hiring and background checks could cause a delay. Tui stated that unless a criminal background check is completed HSTA does not want anyone in classrooms. Eishelmann shared that teachers were not told till later that there were issues with background check.

Board Member Lo asked if there has been an increase in J-1 applicants. Hayashi replied that teachers are coming in from foreign countries and there are additional teachers from the J-1 program who are being used to fill vacancies to support students. Board Member Lo asked if there are more onboarding difficulties due to transportation issues. Hayashi confirmed that the Department wants to ensure teachers are paid.

Sean Bacon, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Talent Management, stated that the Department has implemented upgrades with the onboarding system. Board Member Lo opined that it appears to be a complex process and asked if the systems are separate. Bacon confirmed that the systems are separate and expressed appreciation to the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) to help get paychecks out to the affected teachers. Board Member Lo suggested looking at the technology issues which are related to the process.

Board Member Dukelow requested that the Department drill down into exactly what happened.

Board Member Hattori asked what proportion of the teachers impacted were J-1 and how long does it take to get social security numbers. Bacon replied that there are about 100 J-1 teachers included and the Department has met with the local social security office to expedite the process.

IV. Human Resources Committee oral report on August 15, 2024, meeting

Board Chairperson Takumi called on Human Resources Committee Chairperson Wesley Lo to provide the oral report on the meeting held on August 15, 2024.

Board Member Lo stated that the Committee heard from Hayashi on his self-assessment for 2023-2024 school year and approved the appointment of Higashi as the Assistant Superintendent for the Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance.

Board Chairperson Takumi called for public testimony on agenda item IV.

Susan Pcola-Davis, member of the public, testified that the minutes could be due to a staffing issue.

V. Investigative committee (a permitted interaction group pursuant to paragraph 92-2.5(b) (1), Hawaii Revised Statutes) investigation concerning performance metrics for the superintendent evaluation; findings and recommendations

Board Chairperson Takumi called on Investigative Committee Chairperson Wesley Lo to present the performance metrics for the superintendent evaluation; findings and recommendations for the 2024-2025 school year. He explained that the Board will receive the report of the investigative committee, and take up testimony only. Deliberation and action on the committee’s recommendation may not be conducted until our next general business meeting on October 31, 2024.

Board Member Lo stated that each chairperson met to finalize the recommendation for the aspirational goals. The goals have not been changed but to show progress to ensure that the evaluation will be aligned to Hayashi. He acknowledged that the strategic plan has an extreme amount of measures with student achievement as the ultimate goal.

Board Chairperson Takumi called for public testimony on agenda item V.

Susan Pcola-Davis, member of the public, asked for clarity on the meets and exceeds portion of the evaluation. She expressed support for including the vision of a graduate.

VI. Appointment of Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance

Board Chairperson Takumi called on Human Resources Committee Chairperson Wesley Lo to provide the recommendation on the appointment of the assistant superintendent of the Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance (OSIP).

Board Chairperson Takumi called for public testimony on agenda item VI. No public testimony was provided.

ACTION: Approve the appointment of Ms. Elizabeth Higashi as Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance, as explained in Superintendent Keith Hayashi’s memorandum dated August 15, 2024. (Lo/No second required). The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.

VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year

Board Chairperson Takumi announced that the end-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year was deferred.

VIII. Adjournment

Board Chairperson Takumi adjourned the meeting at 2:38 p.m.

List of the people who submitted written testimony before the meeting

NAME	Organization	Agenda Item
Deborah Bond-Upson	HE’E Coalition	III. Report of the superintendent
Marissa Baptista		III. Report of the superintendent
Sonya Pinsky		III. Report of the superintendent
Micah Kane	Hawaii Community Foundation	VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year
Jashua Walker		III. Report of the superintendent
Osa Tui	HSTA, President	III. Report of the superintendent
Alex Teece		VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year
Michelle Kidani	Hawaii State Senate, Vice President & Senate Committee on Education Chairperson	VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year
Helen Sanpei	McKinley Community School for Adults, Principal	VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year
Derek Minakami	Kaneohe Elementary School, Principal	VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year
Kim Sanders	Ewa Makai Middle School, Principal	VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year
Rebecca Winkie; Momi Kihata-Ball; Richard Carosso; Stacy Bookland; Gary Kanamori; Ian Haskins	Hana-Lahaina-Lanai-Molokai Complex Area	VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year
Janette Snelling;	Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena, Complex Area Superintendent	VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year
Lisa Wilkinson	School Transformation Branch, Director	VI. Appointment of Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance
Crissi Doyle	Office of Strategy, Performance, and Innovation, Institutional Analyst	VI. Appointment of Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance
Amber Corrales		III. Report of the superintendent
Lynn Zinsius		III. Report of the superintendent
Ella OʻBrien		III. Report of the superintendent
Richard Fajardo; Lanelle Hibbs; Sean Tajima; Rebecca Winkie; Rochelle Mahoe; Linell Dilwith; John Erickson; Bob Davis; Sam Izumi; Disa Hauge; Stacey Bello; Esther Kanehailua; Janette Snelling; Danny Hamada; Desiree Sides	Complex Area Superintendents	VII. End-of-year evaluation of the Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year