RELATING TO TEACHER RETENTION.

HB265

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

265

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO TEACHER RETENTION
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds
the State needs to

provide monetary incentives to recruit
teachers and promote longevity in the field.
�

Further, general education teachers who teach special education
inclusion classes alongside special education teachers should be entitled to
the same pay differential.
�
The
purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Establish
the Onipa
ʻ
a Teacher Bonus
Program which provides monetary awards to licensed and certified teachers who
practice in the State for an extended period of time; and

����
(2)
�
Ensure
that general education teachers teaching special education inclusion classes
are equitably compensated.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�302A-
�
Onipa
ʻ
a Teacher Bonus Program.

�
(a)
�
The
department shall establish a teacher bonus program which provides bonuses to
teachers in the department of education who exemplify high teacher standards
and accomplished teaching through means deemed appropriate by the board of
education.
�
Each school must submit a
report concerning the use of money distributed by the department.
�
The department must provide a summary of the
reports to the board and the legislature.
�

����
(b)
�
The program shall be outlined
by the following provisions:

����
(1)
�
Beginning after the effective date of this
Act,
a teacher that is considered a full-time employee of the
department and teaches for two school years in such school shall be eligible to
apply for the bonuses pursuant in this section;

����
(2)
�
The department shall award bonuses
to any eligible teacher who applies and meets the requirements of this section;

����
(3)
�
The department shall develop and
administer the Onipa
ʻ
a Teacher Bonus
Program.
�
The program shall consist of a
series of bonuses available to eligible teachers who meet the qualifications of
this section.
�
Such bonuses include the "Ola
Professional Performance" bonus and the "Ola Loa Longevity"
bonuses;

����
(4)
�
The department shall maintain the
records related to the program and any teacher receiving a bonus pursuant to
the program, including tracking teacher demographics, the number of years a
teacher has taught, the annual income a teacher receives from teaching, the
school and location a teacher teaches at, and any other information the
department may require.
�
The department
shall share such information except as aggregate data that does not include
personally identifiable information for any particular teacher;

����
(5)
�
The board may adopt and promulgate
rules and regulations to carry out this section;

����
(6)
�
The "Ola Professional
Performance" bonus awards shall be awarded to an eligible teacher who has
been practicing within the State for at least two school years; provided that,
this award shall total no more than two thousand five hundred dollars; and

����
(7)
�
The "Ola Loa Longevity"
bonus awards shall be awarded to an eligible teacher who has been practicing
within the State for at least five school years.
�
The teacher shall be eligible for receiving
this bonus award on a recurring basis every five years; provided that, each
issued award shall total no more than five thousand dollars.

����
(c)
�
As used in this section:

����
"Bonus"
means a non-base, building payment that is in addition to a teacher's regular
salary and that is awarded based on outstanding service and awarded to a
full-time teacher who satisfies the licensing and certification as outlined in
chapter 302A-805,

Hawaii Revised Statutes.

����
"Department"
means the department of education.

����
"Board"
means the board of education.
"

����
SECTION
3
.
�
Section 302A-630, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�302A-630
�
[
[
]Teachers; additional benefits or
credits.[
]
]
�
(a)
�
Teachers with special assignments, where
their responsibilities are greater, may be provided additional benefits by the
department.

����
(b)
�

Teachers in Hawaiian language medium education whose responsibilities
are greater or unique and require additional language skills may be provided
additional benefits by the department.

����
(c)
�

In determining additional benefits for vocational agriculture and
technical school teachers, the department may allow credit for practical
experience.

����
(d)
�

In determining additional benefits for teachers, staff, and
administrators in Hawaiian language medium education, the department may allow
credit for practical experience.

����
(e)
�

In determining additional benefits for special education teachers, the
department shall include general education teachers who teach special education
inclusion classes as equally qualified for the additional benefits.
"

SECTION
4.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $
��������
or so much thereof as may be necessary
for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be
necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the funding of the
Onipa
ʻ
a Teacher Bonus
Program
.

����
The
sums

appropriated shall be expended
by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 5.
�

Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take
effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Teacher
Retention; Teacher Bonus Program; Education; Staffing

Description:

Establishes
the Onipa
ʻ
a Teacher Bonus Program to address
teacher retention and award teachers for outstanding and extended service in
the department of education.
�
Ensures
that general education teachers assigned to special education inclusion classes
receive the same additional benefits as special education teachers.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.