The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education is dedicated to recruiting and supporting highly qualified educators and school staff to ensure student success. Whether you’re looking to become a licensed teacher, substitute teacher, paraeducator or school administrator, there are many pathways to joining our public education system.

Nā mea hoʻolako hoʻonaʻauao

Nā kumu

Ke hōʻano hou nei ka 'Oihana i kāna kūpaʻa e hoʻolimalima i nā kumu laikini kūpono loa i kēlā me kēia lumi papa. Kūlike kēia hana me ka Priority II o ka Plan Strategic Plan: High Quality Educator Workforce in All Schools.

In order to teach in Hawaiʻi’s public schools, you will need to hold a Hawaiʻi teaching license or permit. In some states, a license is known as your teaching credential or teacher certification. To obtain your no-cost Hawaiʻi teaching license or permit, you must complete the requirements laid out by the state’s Papa Kūlana Kumu Hawaiʻi.

E kipa mai i ko makou E aʻo ma ka puka puka o Hawaiʻi e aʻo hou aʻe e pili ana i nā pono o ke aʻo ʻana ma Hawaiʻi, me ka laikini kumu.

Na Kumu Pani

Ke ʻimi nei ka ʻOihana i nā kumu pani e kōkua i ka hoʻomau ʻana i ke aʻo ʻana ma nā kula. Inā makemake ʻoe i ka hoʻonaʻauao a makemake ʻoe e hana i ka hopena i loko o ka lumi papa, e ʻimi i nā ʻike, kaʻina hana hoʻolimalima, a me nā koi aʻo e hoʻomaka.

Luna Hoʻonaʻauao (Kokua Hoʻonaʻauao)

Hana ʻia kahi paraedducator ma lalo o ka mākaʻikaʻi ʻana o nā kumu a i ʻole nā mea hana ʻoihana ʻē aʻe. He ʻano aʻo ke kūlana a hāʻawi i nā lawelawe pololei ʻē aʻe i nā keiki a me nā ʻōpio a me ko lākou ʻohana, me:

1. Hoʻokahi aʻo aʻo.
2. Kokua i ka hooponopono lumi papa.
3. Hāʻawi i nā kōkua aʻo i loko o kahi keʻena kamepiula.
4. Ke alakaʻi nei i nā hana pili makua.
5. Hāʻawi i ke kākoʻo aʻo ʻana ma kahi waihona a i ʻole ke kikowaena media.
6. He mea unuhi.
7. Ka hāʻawi ʻana i nā lawelawe kākoʻo aʻo ma lalo o ka mākaʻikaʻi pololei ʻana o kahi kumu aʻoaʻo a i ʻole ʻoihana loea.

At minimum, Educational Assistants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent AND one of the following:

1. Successful completion of an examination approved by the Department, such as the ParaPro or ParaPathways Assessment provided by the Education Testing Service (ETS). 
2. At least 48 baccalaureate-level semester credits from an accredited institution recognized by the Department, which included 3 credits in mathematics and 3 credits in English.
3. An associate degree or higher from an accredited institution recognized by the Department.

Go to www.hawaiischooljobs.org to see all available Educational Assistant job opportunities!

ParaPro and ParaPathways Assessments

These are computer-based assessment options for Educational Assistants and paraprofessional tutors to meet the minimum qualifications for employment. ETS will continue to offer the ParaPro Assessment through Aug. 31, 2026. See our palapala hōʻike to learn about a ParaPathways testing opportunity only available until Dec. 31, 2026.

The administration of these assessments is managed by the Community Schools for Adults (CSA)​. Contact a CSA campus to schedule a test date and time:

McKinley CSA:

• McKinley Campus: 808-594-0540
• Kauaʻi Campus: 808-274-3390
• Maui Campus: 808-873-3082

Waipahu CSA:

• Waipahu Campus: 808-307-9677
• Hilo Campus: 808-480-3231
• Wahiawa Campus: 808-305-3200

Nā Papahana Hoʻomākaukau

Programs that prepare teachers – including counselor and librarian candidates – or other practicing professionals, must obtain an affiliation agreement with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education in order to place candidates in our public schools under the direct supervision of a mentor. The Department maintains a list of programs with affiliation agreements.

Mea nui: ʻAʻole hōʻoia ka ʻaelike pili i ka ʻae ʻia ʻana o nā moho e hoʻopau ana i kahi papahana hoʻonaʻauao no ke kumu Hawaiʻi, kākāʻōlelo kula a i ʻole palapala laikini kula. Pono e kuhikuhi ʻia nā nīnau e pili ana i ka hoʻokō ʻana o ka papahana i nā koi no ka laikini Hawaiʻi – me nā polokalamu ma waho o ka mokuʻāina, pūnaewele a me nā papahana “ala ʻē aʻe” i ka Papa Kūlana Kumu o Hawaiʻi.

Lilo i Lunahooponopono KULA 

Ua kūpaʻa ka 'Oihana Hoʻonaʻauao o Hawaiʻi i ke kūkulu ʻana i ke alakaʻi ikaika o ke kula ma o nā papahana hoʻomaʻamaʻa kiʻekiʻe a me nā papahana hōʻoia. Inā paha he hope poʻokela makemake ʻoe, poʻo kumu, a i ʻole he luna hoʻokele akamai mai kekahi mokuʻāina ʻē, kōkua kā mākou ala hōʻoia i ka mākaukau o nā alakaʻi kula āpau e alakaʻi i nā haumāna a me nā limahana i ka holomua.

HICISL Hope Principal Certification Program 

This one-year residency internship provides hands-on leadership experience under the guidance of a mentor principal. Participants gain valuable skills in school administration, and successful completion leads to an Initial School Administrator Certificate (ISAC). This certification allows individuals to apply for vice principal or equivalent positions within Hawaiʻi’s public schools.

HICISL Principal Certification Program

Hoʻolālā ʻia no nā poʻo poʻo poʻokela o ka 'Oihana, ua kōkua kēia papahana hoʻomākaukau hoʻokahi makahiki i nā poʻo kumu e hoʻomohala i nā mākau e pono ai no ke alakaʻi kula. Ma hope o ka hoʻokō kūleʻa, loaʻa i nā poʻe i kahi palapala hoʻonaʻauao kula ʻoihana (PSAC), kahi e hiki ai iā lākou ke noi no ke poʻo kumu a i ʻole nā kūlana like.

Nā ala hōʻoia no nā luna hoʻomalu i laikini ʻia ma waho o ka mokuʻāina

Experienced school administrators from states outside of Hawaiʻi may be eligible for a provisional school administrator certification based on their qualifications. 

External applicants who meet certification requirements are issued a provisional school administrator license valid for two years from the date of issue. 

Track IV - Luna Hoʻokele Laikini me Hope Poʻokela ʻIke

Requirements:

• Hold a current/valid K-12 school administrator license/certificate from a U.S. state.
• Loaʻa ke kēkelē laepua ma ka Hoʻonaʻauao Hoʻonaʻauao a i ʻole alakaʻi alakaʻi hoʻonaʻauao mai kahi kulanui i ʻae ʻia.
• Have at least five years of K-12 school level administrative experience, including at least three years as a licensed/certified public school vice principal. (DOE OTM 600-020 employment verification form required.)
• Have satisfactory school level administrator performance evaluations from the last two years of employment.
• Have an updated resume or curriculum vitae.
• Have three letters of recommendation from: 1) most recent direct supervisor; 2) a teacher who was supervised by the applicant; and 3) a community member.  Letters must be signed and dated within six months of the application.  

If all requirements are met, applicants qualify for an Initial School Administrator Certificate – Provisional (ISAC-P), allowing him/her to apply for vice principal or equivalent positions.

Track V – Licensed School Administrator with Principal Experience

Requirements: 

• Hold a current/valid K-12 school administrator license/certificate from a U.S. state.
• Loaʻa ke kēkelē laepua ma ka Hoʻonaʻauao Hoʻonaʻauao a i ʻole alakaʻi alakaʻi hoʻonaʻauao mai kahi kulanui i ʻae ʻia.
• Have at least five years of K-12 school level administrative experience, including at least four years as a licensed/certified public school principal. (DOE OTM 600-020 employment verification form required.)
• Have satisfactory administrator performance evaluations from the last two years of employment.
• Have an updated resume or curriculum vitae.
• Have three letters of recommendation from: 1) most recent direct supervisor; 2) a teacher who was supervised by the applicant; and 3) a community member.  Letters must be signed and dated within six months of the application.

If all requirements are met, applicants qualify for a Professional School Administrator Certificate-Provisional (PSAC-P), allowing him/her to apply for vice principal, principal, or equivalent positions.

To support the transition to the Department, newly hired school administrators with a provisional certificate (ISAC-P or PSAC-P) must participate in identified program seminars to include:

• School Leadership – Foundations in Operations (SL-FIO)
• HICISL Hope Principal Certification Program
• HICISL Principal Certification Program
• Ke Kula Nui Hou

Two years of probation with satisfactory performance evaluations result in tenure in the Department.  Professional School Administrator Certificate (PSAC), allowing you to apply for principal or equivalent positions.

Nā lālā o ka ʻoihana koa a me nā hoa kāne - hiki ke lawe i nā laikini

Ma lalo o ka Servicemember Civil Relief Act (SCRA), hiki i nā pūʻali koa ikaika a me kā lākou mau hoa kāne ke hoʻomau i ka hoʻohana ʻana i kā lākou laikini ʻoihana i ka wā e neʻe ai ma muli o nā kauoha koa. No ka hoʻokō ʻana, pono nā kānaka:

1. E neʻe ma waho o ka mana o ka mana laikini i hoʻopuka i kā lākou palapala laikini kumu a i ʻole palapala ma muli o nā kauoha koa.
2. E hāʻawi i kope o kā lākou mau kauoha koa i ka mana laikini hou. 
3. Ua hoʻohana ikaika i kā lākou laikini a i ʻole palapala i nā makahiki ʻelua ma mua o ka neʻe ʻana.
4. E kū maikaʻi me ka mana hoʻopuka laikini.
5. E mālama i nā kūlana o ka hoʻomaʻamaʻa, ka hoʻopaʻi ʻana, a me nā koi hoʻonaʻauao hoʻomau i ka mana hou.