Board of Education approves Aug. 17 start date for schools  

SA July 30, 2020: … The board voted 7 to 1 to postpone the start of school in response to a flood of testimony from teachers, principals and staff in recent weeks. Teachers returned to campuses Wednesday and students were due back on Aug. 4, but Superintendent Christina Kishimoto and unions representing school employees jointly recommended the later start date….

Listen to the audio feed of today’s virtual meeting at this facebook link.

Shortly before the board meeting began, Hawaii reported a daily record of 124 new cases, including 32 children….

The board, however, also heard from some parents who want their children back on campus on Aug. 4 as originally scheduled.

“My children need to be in school to learn and catch up on the loss of education they had since March of this year,” Betty Tamayo wrote in her testimony. “Distance learning is NOT an option for working parents.”….

Hawaii law calls for 180 instructional days in an academic year and the Aug. 17 start cuts off nine of those days, but three may be restored through negotiation with the unions.

Board member Bruce Voss was the only one to oppose delaying the start of school, calling it “a very bad deal for students.”…

“I think we should reject this schedule and I think instruction should begin in distance learning at all schools, and then each school should determine when it’s ready to resume in person,” he said. “We as a board should not be taking away from our students any more instructional days that they are entitled to by law. To me that’s just wrong.”….

(Be sure that HSTA will be paid for the full 180 days anyway.)

CB: Hawaii Board of Education Approves Delay To New School Year

BOE: Agenda and Board Packet July 30, 2020

read … Board of Education approves Aug. 17 start date for schools

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Statement from Supt. Kishimoto on the proposed Aug. 17 start date for students

HIDOE leadership has been working with the unions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure our students get the education they deserve and our employees have a safe work environment. A proposed start date of Aug. 17 for students will be brought to the Board of Education on Thursday.

News Release from Hawaii DoE, 27-Jul-2020

The following is a statement from Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto on the proposed Aug. 17 start date for students.

"HIDOE leadership has been working with the unions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure our students get the education they deserve and our employees have a safe work environment. We have continued these conversations and reached a conditional agreement today to propose a delayed start for students to accommodate concerns regarding employee training.

Throughout our discussions, we were mindful that any adjustments to the calendar must focus on educating and supporting students. We also acknowledge the voice of our families, partners and employees who are not represented by the unions yet are impacted by this decision.

We will use this time to prepare at yet another level, but I recognize this comes at a cost for public school parents and our students. My expectation is that if the Board approves the two week delay, that our labor partners will do an aggressive push to their members to be at schoolhouse doors on day one for our students."

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CB: HSTA, DOE Strike Deal To Push Back Start Of New School Year

HNN: Department of Education agrees to push back the reopening of public schools

SA: Board of Education to vote on postponing Hawaii public schools start date to Aug. 17

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