The public is invited to a series of “community engagement” meetings where the state Board of Education will gather input to weave into the next strategic plan for Hawaii’s public schools.

“This is the first time the Board of Education is trying anything like this,” board Chair Bruce Voss said of the series spanning five islands in just over four weeks. “We want to have at these meetings as broad and diverse a group of stakeholders as we can get, and we want to hear from everyone. We want people to know that their voice will be in this plan and it is ultimately their plan.”

A message on the board’s website reads: “You are invited to join Board Members and the Complex Area Superintendents to get to know each other, share opinions on priority areas to focus on, and provide insight on how well the public education system is meeting the needs of students, families, schools and communities.”

Each of the DOE’s 15 complex areas is hosting one community meeting.

Voss said the meetings will address three priority areas that the board will focus on for the strategic plan: high quality learning for all, high quality educator workforce in all schools, and effective and efficient operations at all levels.

At least one BOE member is scheduled to lead each meeting. Attendees will be broken out into small groups to share what they think the schools are doing well and what needs improvement, and the feedback will be compiled into a database that the board will share publicly and incorporate into the strategic plan, Voss said. More information for individual meetings can be found at 808ne.ws/BOEcommunitymeet.

The last strategic plan covered 2017-2020 and expired in June 2020; the creation of a successive plan was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and a change in state superintendents. Approval of the next strategic plan is scheduled for February 2023. It is tentatively expected to cover three school years beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

The strategic plan will set the course for the Hawaii Department of Education, the only statewide public school system in the nation, which has 258 regular public schools serving more than 159,500 students, with a $2.6 billion operating budget and $576 million capital improvement budget.

The new document also will help to set priorities for Hawaii’s 37 public charter schools, which serve more than 12,000 students, although the charter school commission has its own strategic plan, Voss said.

The remaining meeting schedule, including complex areas, and BOE members leading the meeting:

>> Today, 6-7:30 p.m., Castle High library, Castle- Kahuku, Voss

>> Thursday, 5-6:30 p.m., Mililani Middle l cafeteria, Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua, Ken Kuraya

>> Oct. 17, 6-7:30 p.m., Kailua High cafeteria, Kailua- Kalaheo complex area, Voss

>> Oct. 18, 6:30-8 p.m., Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle dining room, Kapaa- Kauai-Waimea complex area (Kauai), Bill Arakaki

>> Oct. 19, 6-7:30 p.m., Maili Elementary cafeteria, Nanakuli-Waianae complex area, Makana McClellan

>> Oct. 21, 5-6:30 p.m., Ewa Makai Middle cafeteria, Campbell-Kapolei complex area, Lauren Moriarty

>> Oct. 25, 5:30-7 p.m., Waiakea Elementary cafeteria, Hilo-Waiakea complex area (Hawaii island), Kaimana Barcarse

>> Oct. 27, 5:30-7 p.m., McKinley High auditorium, Kaimuki-McKinley-Roosevelt complex area, Shanty Asher

>> Nov. 1, 5-6:30 p.m., Kalakaua Middle library, Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani complex area, Lynn Fallin

>> Nov. 3, 6-7:30 p.m., Radford High , room 117, Aiea-Moanalua-Radford complex area, Moriarty

>> Nov. 4, 5-6:30 p.m., Kulana Oiwi meeting space, 600 Maunaloa Highway, Kaunakakai, Molokai; Hana- Lahainaluna-Lanai-Molokai complex area, Kili Namau‘u

>> Nov. 7, 5-6:30 p.m., Keaau Elementary cafeteria, Kau-Keaau-Pahoa complex area (Hawaii island), Barcarse

>> Nov. 9, 5-6:30 p.m., Kealakehe High library, Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala- Konawaena complex area (Hawaii island), Barcarse

>> Nov. 10, 5:30-7 p.m., Waikele Elementary cafeteria, Pearl City-Waipahu complex area, McClellan