Hawai'i
Overview
Often hailed as one of the most exquisite vacation destinations in the world, Hawai‘i is also home to a public school system whose eighth graders rank 47th in the nation in reading and math scores. Hawaii’s physical distance from the mainland United States and its unique cultural history has resulted in a complex and sometimes tense relationship between Hawaii and the mainland. Despite these challenges, Hawaii corps members have succeeded in getting involved with their communities and pushing their diverse and unique population of students to new academic heights.
Life
Physically, Hawai‘i is breathtaking. The eight main islands have diverse ecological conditions and many corps members take advantage of their proximity by taking weekend trips to neighboring islands. Teach For America Hawai‘i corps members are placed across the island of O‘ahu and on the West Hawaii district of the Big Island of Hawai‘i. Corps members often live in houses with other corps members near to the schools in which they teach. On both Oahu and the Big Island, Hawaii corps members frequently enjoy the outdoor beauty that Hawaii has to offer, often taking up surfing or unwinding with a long hike on the weekends. Honolulu also offers an active nightlife with highly acclaimed restaurants, art galleries, and bars.
Corps Culture
Hawaii corps members truly form an ohana, or family, united in the desire to improve the lives of their students. Corps members regularly hold potluck dinners, barbeques, and other social events at their houses to bring the corps back together. Teach For America Hawai’i staff members are committed to forming strong relationships with corps members to ensure that every corps members becomes an excellent teacher. Hawai‘i corps members attend Teach For America professional development events designed to help them in their development as teacher-leaders, including all-corps Professional Saturday structures, content-specific professional learning communities, and other small group workshops. This support and professional development has clearly paid off, as historically over 50 percent of Hawai’i corps members have elected to stay in Hawai’i classrooms for a third year, adding even more momentum to our movement to end educational inequity.
Teaching
Hawaii’s public school system is in great need of relentless, ambitious teachers; only 35 percent of Hawaii’s schools have met the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind act. Many of the public schools face declining enrollment as parents move their children to private schools. Several of the Hawai‘i schools in which Teach For America places corps members are in the various stages of restructuring. Since 2006, many of the schools that hire Teach for America corps members have made significant academic progress.
Hawaii has a high percentage of bilingual and English language learners from areas such as Micronesia, Samoa, the Philippines, Japan, and other areas. Special Education teachers are also in a high demand, with 12 percent of students in Hawa’ii classified in special education. The Big Island has the highest percentage of special education and English as a second language students in the state.
View a map of our placement areas.
Certification and Testing
Corps members must take the Praxis I and the Praxis II prior to beginning teaching. The PRAXIS I test is a computerized exam offered at most testing centers nationwide Monday through Saturday. PRAXIS II tests are paper exams offered on limited test dates.
Teach For America partners with the University of Hawaii and Chaminade University. Currently, corps members on the Big Island must attend Chaminade University while the partnership on Oahu depends on the particular content placement. Both programs offer an option to get a Master’s degree in two years.
Placements
| Elementary |
20% |
| Secondary |
80% |
| Special Education |
15% |
| Teach at a school with another corps member or alumnus |
97% |
Placements Available
-
general subject elementary
-
specific subject secondary
-
special education
|
Living and Education Expenses
Salary and Taxes
| Salary |
$40,567 |
| Taxes |
23.85% |
Cost of Living
| Housing Single |
$800 - $1,300 |
| Housing Shared |
$400 - $800 |
| Health Insurance |
$100 |
| Utilities |
$60 |
| Daycare |
$400 / month |
| Monthly Tranist Pass |
N/A |
| Car Insurance |
$67 |
| Car Required |
Access to car is essential |
Start-up Costs
| Testing Costs |
$180 |
| Up-front Certification Costs |
N/A |
| How do you pay start-up costs? |
TGL, Out-of-pocket |
Ongoing Costs through the Two-year Commitment
| Ongoing Certification Costs |
$10 - $19 |
| Use AmeriCorps award for testing/certification costs? |
Yes |
| How is teaching certification structured in this state/region? |
2 year - Through university |
| Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years? |
Yes |
| Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment? |
No |
| Extra Master's Degree Costs |
$6,000 |
| Partner Universities |
University of Hawai’i or Chaminade University |
Notes and Clarifications
- Beginning teacher salary: If you have a master's degree in education, are placed in a bilingual classroom, or in a math/science classroom you may receive additional compensation.
- Avg. health insurance: In some placement districts, health insurance premiums are pre-tax deductions.
- Total tax rate: Federal + state + city. Only applies to starting salaries.
- Up-front certification: Expenses that must be paid before your first day of teaching.
- Paying start-up costs: Can you pay for testing and up-front certification costs with transitional grants and loans or do you have to pay out-of-pocket?
- Ongoing certification: Total certification costs over two-year teaching commitment.
- AmeriCorps award for certification: Can you use your AmeriCorps award to pay testing/certification costs?
- Master's in two years: Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years?
- Master's required: Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment?
- Extra master's degree costs: Additional total cost to obtain a master's degree (on top of ongoing certification costs); does not include AmeriCorps award.
- Partner university(ies): These universities partner with Teach For America for ongoing certification requirements, and in some cases, the fulfillment of a master's degree in education.
