Math readiness has emerged as a defining education issue for Hawaii as lawmakers and school leaders prepare for the 2026 legislative cycle, framing numeracy not only as an academic concern but as a foundation for workforce readiness, economic mobility and long-term student success.
From the superintendent’s office to legislative leadership, education officials say improving math outcomes will require sustained investment in classroom support, stable funding and attention to students’ basic needs — particularly as schools navigate inflation, staffing shortages and uncertainty at the federal level.
“We’re not where we need to be in terms of preparedness,” said state Rep. Justin Woodson (D, Kahului-Puunene), chair of the House Education Committee, pointing to statewide assessment data that continues to show gaps in math proficiency.
Woodson said lawmakers are increasingly focused on readiness — a concept that includes academic skills, life proficiencies and workforce preparation. Within that framework, math has become a priority area.
“Our math scores, when you look at our Strive HI assessments, they’re not where they need to be,” Woodson said. “That’s true across many states, but it doesn’t lessen the urgency here.”
The state Department of Education’s Strive HI report showed that eighth grade math proficiency was at 35% last school year.
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One proposal lawmakers expect to revisit is funding for math coaches housed within each complex area — a request made by the DOE but not included in the governor’s budget. The coaches would work directly with teachers to strengthen instruction and increase student proficiency.
“That’s something we’re going to be advocating for,” Woodson said. “We think it’s just so important.”
Education Vice Chair and state Rep. Trish La Chica (D, Waipio-Mililani) said she supports the same approach, emphasizing that research from other states shows meaningful gains when teachers receive in-classroom coaching rather than new mandates layered onto already strained schools.
“If we want our kids to succeed, educators should have classroom support,” La Chica said. “States like Alabama and Kentucky have seen their largest gains in math proficiency when they truly invested in teachers.”
DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi said the department is focused on sustaining recent academic gains, particularly after pandemic-era disruptions. He credited teachers and school leaders for progress in both literacy and math but acknowledged there is more work ahead.
“At the end of the day, that’s what we’re responsible for — we have to ensure that students are moving forward,” Hayashi said.
Hayashi said improving math outcomes is not just about scores, but about changing how students experience the subject.
“A lot of people have math phobia … We want to change that mindset for our kids,” he said, adding that he wants students to see math as something positive and relevant — not just for future careers or advanced coursework, but for the everyday problem-solving and real-world situations they encounter in their daily lives.
The department is seeking support for instructional coaching, stable school environments and facilities improvements that allow students to learn in safe, well-equipped classrooms. Hayashi noted that the DOE submitted a lean budget this year, reprioritizing positions and focusing on core needs amid fiscal constraints.
Beyond the classroom
While math readiness is at the forefront, education leaders stressed that academic success depends heavily on factors outside the classroom — including food security, transportation and student well-being.
La Chica has introduced multiple bills aimed at expanding access to school meals and stabilizing student transportation. House Bill 1779 would expand free school meal coverage to all DOE students beginning in the 2029-2030 school year, building on Act 139, which expands eligibility to families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level by the 2026–27 school year.
“Hunger directly affects focus and behavior,” La Chica said.
She also said that making school meals universal not only improves effectiveness but removes the stigma tied to who can or cannot afford to pay. It also eases pressure on working families by taking one daily worry off their plates, ensuring that schools are a reliable place where children can count on getting nutritious meals during the day.
While exact timelines may be difficult to pin down, La Chica said she is confident the department is approaching the effort holistically and expects budget requests to support continued expansion. She pointed to a site visit to Colorado’s Boulder Valley School District as proof the model can work, describing a centralized kitchen system paired with universal school meals that relies heavily on local farmers. There, produce is delivered daily, prepared and cooked in batches, then sent out to schools the same day — with roughly 90% of ingredients sourced locally — benefiting not only students but the broader local economy as well.
Transportation remains another challenge, particularly as the state faces a shortage of school bus drivers. La Chica’s HB 1780 would require free bus passes for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, while House Bill 1785 would allow the DOE to replace nonperforming contractors and assess penalties for missed routes.
La Chica said many families rely entirely on school buses to get their children to class, making reliable transportation a matter of equity rather than convenience.
She explained that transportation delays have been driven in part by the department’s commitment to yellow school buses as the safest option, even as a shortage of drivers has forced route consolidations and cancellations across the state.
Some routes, such as most of those serving Pearl City High School, have never been restored, leaving families with few alternatives. While the DOE has begun using motor coaches and piloting other options — including a school carpool program in the Mililani complex that has drawn strong participation — transportation gaps remain, particularly for families who cannot rely on county buses. La Chica said the response shows that families will use expanded options when they are available, and she is advancing legislation to prioritize bus access for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, especially when school transportation is their only way to get to class.
Workforce challenges
Rather than large-scale restructuring, Hayashi said the department is prioritizing instructional support that directly reaches classrooms. This includes coaching, professional development and aligning curriculum so teachers can focus on teaching instead of navigating constant policy changes.
Stability, he said, allows educators to do their best work.
Hayashi underscored that school facilities are not separate from instruction, arguing that classroom design, safety and infrastructure all affect student engagement. He highlighted recent investments in critical infrastructure, health and safety upgrades and instructional facilities, stressing that education needs should drive facility decisions — not the other way around.
Teacher shortages and burnout continue to shape education policy discussions. Hayashi said the department is working to expand educator recruitment pipelines, including bringing in international teachers through the J‑1 visa program — a cultural exchange category administered by the U.S. State Department that allows foreign educators to work in U.S. public schools for up to five years while participating in academic and cultural exchange.
Hawaii has leaned on the J‑1 program as one tool to address chronic teacher shortages, particularly in areas like math and other high‑need subjects. Since the program began in 2019, more than 200 internationally certified teachers — most from the Philippines — have taught in Hawaii public schools, serving across dozens of campuses.
Hayashi said the J‑1 initiative fills an important gap, but he also underscored that growing the local educator workforce remains crucial. He and department partners are pushing to strengthen pathways for Hawaii public school students to enter education careers, from early teacher academies and career pipelines to supports that encourage graduates to stay in the state’s classrooms long term — an investment he said is vital for lasting stability and community connection in schools.
“We’re trying to get more local kids into teaching,” Hayashi said. “Teaching is rewarding, but it’s not easy.”
La Chica noted that concerns over educator safety and workplace protections are becoming more urgent, especially as reports of threats and intimidation rise. She is currently drafting legislation aimed at strengthening workforce safety for school staff. La Chica emphasized that teachers and staff shouldn’t have to choose between protecting themselves and continuing to do their jobs or earn a paycheck — the goal is to ensure they can safely work without facing that impossible trade-off.
“If we want great teachers to stay in our classrooms, we have to take their safety seriously,” she said.
Uncertainty looms
Lawmakers are also watching developments in Washington, D.C., where changes to federal education policy and social safety net programs could ripple through Hawaii’s schools.
La Chica said potential shifts affecting title education funding programs, Medicaid and SNAP could disproportionately impact low-income and rural families — the same students who are already more likely to struggle academically.
“The last thing we want is any disruption to our kids’ learning, as well as any potential challenges to our education workforce,” she said. “We’re watching carefully so the state can be in a good position to take action.”
Woodson said while federal uncertainty remains, education funding continues to have broad support within the Legislature.
“There are a plethora of legitimate and worthy needs across the state,” he said. “I always argue, though, that education has access to everything — and if you support public education, then that’s going to have multiplier impacts. That’s going to reduce cost burdens across all the rest of the spectrum in terms of things that we’re considering providing funding for to address other needs.”
Leaders emphasized that meaningful education reform does not happen in a single year, but through sustained collaboration among the DOE, Legislature, Board of Education, families and communities.
“Education progress is about partnership,” Woodson said, emphasizing the importance of examining the trajectory over time, rather than focusing on a single snapshot or isolated moment.
Hayashi echoed that sentiment, pointing to recent gains as evidence that steady investment can pay off.
“We’ve made gains over the last 20 years,” he said. “We’re not going to stop now.”