Gov. Josh Green signed a slate of bills into law Monday aimed at better supporting teachers, students and families in Hawaii.

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Gov. Josh Green signed a slate of bills into law Monday aimed at better supporting teachers, students and families in Hawaii.

The first of these bills, House Bill 1890, puts into place a framework for annual salary step increases for teachers who meet performance requirements and longevity raises for those who reach and remain at the highest step.

Other states have similar programs in place, and Green said he hopes it will help Hawaii to retain more of its teachers.

“We’ve done what we can, and we’ve worked hard to improve salaries in general, but we need to guarantee steps. I think that’s really what it comes down to,” Green said during a press conference in Honolulu.

Taking into account the high cost of living, teachers in Hawaii are among the lowest paid in the country. The state is also facing a teacher retention crisis, with nearly half of teachers leaving before completing five years on the job.

This is especially pronounced on Hawaii Island and in rural areas.

“Keeping people in the classroom, we don’t have to go out and retrain people,” Green said. “And also, having an experienced teacher — 18, 20, 22 or more years — they are teachers that have had all of that experience to help our kids,” Green said.

The specifics of the salary increases will be further determined through collective bargaining with the Hawaii State Teachers Association and are subject to legislative funding.

“We look forward to engaging in the necessary negotiations authorized by this bill to now make annual salary step increases a reality,” HSTA President Osa Tui said.

The second bill, HB 1888, aims to strengthen measures to protect educational workers from harassment by laying out clearer procedures for reporting and addressing incidents. It also increases penalties for harassing educators while they are working.

The bill comes after Natalie Iwamoto, associate athletic director at Moanalua High School on Oahu, was punched in the face and knocked unconscious following a sporting event in December of last year, reigniting the push for such protections.

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“Every education worker deserves a safe and respectful supportive workplace, so they can focus on teaching our kids and helping our students succeed,” said state Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, chair of the Senate Committee on Education.

The other two bills aim to reduce financial burdens for students from elementary school through higher education by making school lunches more affordable and strengthening financial assistance for community college students.

HB 2296 will reduce the cost of school meals by lowering the percentage of food preparation costs that schools are required to recover and giving the Department of Education more flexibility to lower prices. Green said the bill is a move toward someday providing free lunch to all students, which groups including Hawaii Appleseed have been advocating for.

“By avoiding a price hike on school meals, HB 2296 protects working families who are struggling just to get by,” said Daniela Spoto, Hawaii Appleseed deputy director and director of food equity. “This technical fix is only one piece of a larger puzzle. Building on Act 139’s foundation, this legislation is a step forward, but the job isn’t finished until every single student in Hawaii has guaranteed access to free, nutritious food at school.”

HB 2238 makes changes to the existing Hawaii Community College Promise scholarship program by excluding outside grants and scholarships when calculating how much money a student will receive to help pay for college.

State Rep. Andrew Takuya Garrett, chair of the House Committee on Higher Education, said this would increase the accessibility of community college programs in Hawaii by allowing students to maximize financial assistance.

“I’ve had the privilege of visiting all 10 campuses within the UH system and have heard directly from students, faculty and administrators,” he said. “Whether it was at Hawaii Community College in Hilo or at UH Maui College in Kahului or at Windward Community College right here on Oahu, one message has been remarkably consistent: talent is everywhere in Hawaii. Opportunity should be as well.”

All of the bills, Green said, work toward making Hawaii a better place to live and go to school.

“These are incremental positive changes, but they start adding up very significantly so that ultimately Hawaii becomes an affordable place for all,” he said.

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Email Grace Inez Adams at [email protected]