News

The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board is making standards work:

By Being Responsive to Teachers

Our mission is to put a qualified teacher at the head of every public school classroom. We envision teacher input and feedback being a significant part of that process. Teacher concerns make a difference and we want to hear from them. Teachers are invited to call the HTSB directly at 586-2600.

By Creating a Level Playing Field for Teacher Testing

Analysis of licensing exam results show some teachers are having consistent difficulty with certain portions of the tests. It is clear from these findings that additional support is needed. Therefore, the HTSB is working with other agencies to provide supplemental preparation for teachers.

By Making Professional Development More Accessible

Ongoing professional development is a key element of quality education. Despite teachers' best efforts, though, the resources aren't always readily available. We view that as a significant roadblock. Therefore, the HTSB monitors several Legislative bills that would make professional growth more accessible to teachers in rural areas and on the neighbor islands.

By Addressing Concerns of Individual Subject Areas

HTSB surveyed teachers to gauge the relevance of the Performance and Licensing Standards. The results were illuminating. Librarians and counselors told us the standards focus more on classroom teaching than on their areas of responsibility. Therefore, the HTSB created two specialized working groups that drafted separate sets of standards, which while based on the teacher standards, accommodate the unique interests of school counselors & librarians.