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There will be no full distance-learning option for Hawaii public school students when classes begin Aug. 3, although schools may be able to accommodate requests from high-risk families on an individual case basis.
During an interview Monday on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s livestreamed news program Spotlight Hawaii, schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto emphasized the need to get children back to face-to-face instruction in the new school year.
“Not all, but many of our students did not do well on distance learning and had a lot of challenges,” she said.
“Families are asking for that face-to-face in person, and so we want teachers at the helm teaching those those students in school.”
Another reason a distance-learning option will not be available is the
uncertainty around the state Department of Education’s budget, which has made it difficult to hire more teachers.
“We still don’t have our full budgets restored to us to be able to add teacher positions,” Kishimoto said.
“I’m not sure that we could at this late stage add and recruit teachers, but we’re not able to have teachers fully staff in-person classrooms and staff distance learning.”
Gov. David Ige announced his intention to veto a bill that would have given teachers a one-time $2,000 bonus. His final decision on the matter is
expected July 6.
Students will still be mandated to wear masks on campus and to stay home if feeling ill. However, the
Department of Health approved dropping the social distancing required last year. Kishimoto was optimistic that early in the next school year, the mask mandate would be lifted, especially outdoors.
If a positive case is reported in a school, the DOE will continue to follow the same protocols it has, which means notifying those who may have interacted with the positive individual and reporting the number of cases at schools by complex area.
Ige is also considering
vetoing a measure that the state Legislature passed mandating the DOE to
report positive cases by schools instead of complex area because he thinks it might risk the privacy of
students, especially those who attend schools in smaller communities.
“We’ve been working with the Department of Health around what kind of data disclosure is is necessary to ensure public health, at the same time ensuring that the health privacy rights of individuals are honored,” Kishimoto said.
“We will continue to take our guidance from DOH.”
Kishimoto added that for the past school year, there was no on-campus transmission of COVID-19.
To help students who may have fallen behind through distance learning, DOE has increased counseling services and after-school programs.
Kishimoto acknowledged that it will take time for
students who are behind,
especially those who were already struggling in school before the pandemic, to reach proper academic standards.
“We know that in one summer, and even potentially one year, we’re not going to catch everyone up, depending on whether they were already behind before the pandemic,” she said.
“Those are the students I’m most concerned with providing the wraparound supports and engagement.”
Kishimoto has asked to use federal funding to provide tutoring for students on weekends or at nights when families are home to ensure that their children are participating.
Kishimoto’s contract with the state as superintendent will end July 30. Waipahu High School Principal Keith Hayashi will take over as interim superintendent Aug. 1.
However, Kishimoto announced that she will stay in Hawaii after her work concludes at DOE. While she did not give specific details on where she would be working next, she said that she will be working on “equity of access for our children” and “gender equity in terms of women empowerment and voice.”
Her advice to incoming Hayashi was to continue to focus on equity for students.
“Every child deserves and has a right to quality education,” she said.
“There should be no child that doesn’t understand clearly that pathway for success.”
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