Hawaii’s Emergency Teacher Hires: A Short-Term Fix Masking a Deeper Crisis

As Hawaii celebrates a decline in teacher vacancies—from over 1,000 after the pandemic to just 73 now—the state is quietly facing a troubling reality: an unprecedented rise in unlicensed, or “emergency,” teacher hires. With emergency hires up 80% from four years ago, schools are relying on educators without formal licenses to keep classrooms open. But is this quick fix putting the future of American education—and by extension our national sovereignty and competitiveness—at risk? Are We Sacrificing Quality for Quantity? Emergency hires can teach for up to three years while working toward certification. While this policy was designed as a temporary...