Bill > HB1840

This bill requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to create a new, alternative permit for visiting international educators that aligns with the duration of their J-1 visa program, which is a U.S. government program designed for cultural exchange and to help address teacher shortages by allowing foreign teachers to work in American schools. Currently, international teachers on J-1 visas face significant hurdles in obtaining a Hawaii teaching license due to the state not recognizing foreign licenses, forcing them to undergo costly and time-consuming examinations that often prevent them from completing the process within their visa's typical three-year term. This new pathway aims to allow these educators to teach for the full duration of their J-1 visa program, which can be up to five years with extensions, thereby improving teacher retention, providing more consistent instruction for students, and leveraging the skills of these qualified teachers for the benefit of Hawaii's diverse classrooms. This provision is set to be repealed on June 30, 2031, and the law will take effect on July 1, 3000.

Business and Industry, Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1840&year=2026