HI certification
Hawaii teacher certification
Teaching credentials in Hawaii
Each row is a credential Hawaii reported to Title II. Initial means a first credential for a new teacher. Years is the length of validity.
| Credential | Initial | Years | Renewable | Grade levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career and Technical Education Permit | No | 5 | Yes | K-12, K-12, K-12 |
| Emergency Hire Permit | No | 1 | No | PK-12, PK-12, PK-12 |
| Hawai`i Advanced License | No | 10 | Yes | K-6, 6-8, 6-12 |
| Hawai`i Provisional License | Yes | 3 | No | K-6, 6-8, 6-12 |
| Hawai`i Standard License | No | 5 | Yes | K-6, 6-8, 6-12 |
| Hawaiian Permit | No | 5 | Yes | PK-12, PK-12, PK-12 |
| Standard Limited Career and Technical Education License | Yes | 5 | Yes | 6-12, 6-12 |
| Standard Limited Computer Science License | Yes | 5 | Yes | 6-12, 6-12 |
Requirements
Yes means the state reports the item as required for that credential. Tests shows only whether tests are required; Title II does not name the tests.
| Credential | Bachelor's | Master's | Education degree | Prep program | Tests | Performance assessment | Clinical | Coursework | Credit hours | Min. GPA | Transcripts | Employment | Mentoring | Recency | Background check | Fingerprint | Police check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career and Technical Education Permit | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Emergency Hire Permit | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hawai`i Advanced License | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Hawai`i Provisional License | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Hawai`i Standard License | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Hawaiian Permit | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Standard Limited Career and Technical Education License | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Standard Limited Computer Science License | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Verify a teaching license in Hawaii
Teaching licenses in Hawaii are verified on the lookup service run by Hawaii Teacher Standards Board. Search there by the teacher's name or certificate number to see current status.
PT3 does not verify licenses and holds no records of individual teachers.
Renewal
Renew times is how many times the credential can be renewed; renewal years is the length of each renewal.
| Credential | Renewable | Renew times | Renewal years | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career and Technical Education Permit | Yes | 1 | 5 | none |
| Emergency Hire Permit | No | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Hawai`i Advanced License | Yes | 10 | 10 | Effective or better rating on the licensee’s most recent Hawaii Department of Education teacher evaluation within five years prior to the date of license renewal application; ? Effective or better rating, or equivalent, on the licensee’s most recent Hawaii Charter School teacher evaluation within five years prior to the date of license renewal application. The evaluation must be submitted to HTSB by the school’s administrator for verification that the evaluation meets the Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards; ? Effective or better rating, or equivalent, on the licensee’s most recent Hawaii Association of Independent Schools or out of state school teacher evaluation within five years prior to the date of license renewal application. The evaluation must be submitted to HTSB by the school’s administrator for verification that the evaluation meets the Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards; ? National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification active within five years prior to the date of license renewal application; ? One hundred (100) verified professional development hours completed within five years prior to the date of license renewal application. ? Six semester hours of coursework that supports the practice of teaching, earned from an accredited institution of higher education within five years prior to the date of license renewal application. |
| Hawai`i Provisional License | No | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Hawai`i Standard License | Yes | 99 | 5 | Effective or better rating on the licensee’s most recent Hawaii Department of Education teacher evaluation within five years prior to the date of license renewal application; ? Effective or better rating, or equivalent, on the licensee’s most recent Hawaii Charter School teacher evaluation within five years prior to the date of license renewal application. The evaluation must be submitted to HTSB by the school’s administrator for verification that the evaluation meets the Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards; ? Effective or better rating, or equivalent, on the licensee’s most recent Hawaii Association of Independent Schools or out of state school teacher evaluation within five years prior to the date of license renewal application. The evaluation must be submitted to HTSB by the school’s administrator for verification that the evaluation meets the Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards; ? National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification active within five years prior to the date of license renewal application; ? One hundred (100) verified professional development hours completed within five years prior to the date of license renewal application. ? Six semester hours of coursework that supports the practice of teaching, earned from an accredited institution of higher education within five years prior to the date of license renewal application. |
| Hawaiian Permit | Yes | 2 | 1 | Applicants must be recommended by the Office of Hawaiian Education (OHE) for this permit. A Hawaiian Permit is valid for one (1) year and expires on June 30th. This permit may be reissued four (4) times for a term of five (5) years. A second term of five (5) years may be renewed once, valid for one (1) year at a time. (§ 8-54-9.6.a, 2019). |
| Standard Limited Career and Technical Education License | Yes | 10 | 5 | -Recent classroom experience -Teacher evaluation (effective or higher) or Evidence of Teacher Performance Standards -Government-issued identification |
| Standard Limited Computer Science License | Yes | 10 | 5 | -Recent classroom experience -Teacher evaluation (effective or higher) or Evidence of Teacher Performance Standards -Government-issued identification |
Emergency and temporary credentials
| Credential | Initial | Years | Renewable | Grade levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career and Technical Education Permit | No | 5 | Yes | K-12, K-12, K-12 |
| Emergency Hire Permit | No | 1 | No | PK-12, PK-12, PK-12 |
| Hawai`i Provisional License | Yes | 3 | No | K-6, 6-8, 6-12 |
| Hawaiian Permit | No | 5 | Yes | PK-12, PK-12, PK-12 |
Out-of-state teachers
Title II lists no separate out-of-state credential for Hawaii. Ask Hawaii Teacher Standards Board how it reviews licenses from other states.
Newly licensed teachers prepared out of state: 595.
Alternative routes
- Brigham Young University Post Baccalaureate Elementary Teacher Education Program (teach while completing)
- Brigham Young University Post Baccalaureate Secondary Teacher Education Program (teach while completing)
- Chaminade University Master's Degree (teach while completing)
- Hawaii Pacific University - Master of Education in Teaching Elementary Education (teach while completing)
- Hawaii Pacific University - Master of Education in Teaching Secondary Education (teach while completing)
- iteachHawaii (teach while completing)
- Kahoiwai (teach while completing)
- Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education Program (teach while completing)
- Leeward Community College-Alternative Certification for CTE and SpEd Licensure Program (teach while completing)
- Teach Away (teach while completing)
- Teach for America-Hawaii (teach while completing)
- University of Hawaii- Hilo Post Baccalaureate Elementary Teacher Education Program (teach while completing)
- University of Hawaii- Hilo Post Baccalaureate Secondary Teacher Education Program (teach while completing)
- University of Hawaii-Manoa Master of Education in Teaching (teach while completing)
- University of Hawaii-Manoa Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Elementary/Secondary Education (teach while completing)
- University of Hawaii-Manoa Special Education Master's Degree and Post Baccalaureate Certificate (teach while completing)
About Hawaii certification
In 2023-2024, Hawaii's 180,076 public and public charter school students were served by approximately 11,695 teachers in 295 Department of Education public schools. Of the 295 schools, 258 are public schools, and 37 are public charter schools. Fourteen Hawaii state-approved teacher education programs (SATEP) share the responsibility for preparing candidates who meet the Teacher Performance Standards set by the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board (HTSB). The HTSB is responsible for conducting the initial SATEP reviews and requires Hawaii teacher education programs to attain national accreditation from a body approved by the HTSB to be eligible for continuing State Approval or subject to a state review. The legislatively mandated Teacher Education Coordinating Committee (TECC), comprised of representatives of all the Hawaii-based teacher preparation programs, representatives of the Hawai'i State Department of Education (HIDOE), and the HTSB conducts meetings to resolve issues relating to teacher preparation, licensing, and professional development.
How to become a teacher in HawaiiHawaii teacher preparation providers
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a teaching certificate in Hawaii?
Hawaii reports 8 credentials to Title II, 3 of them initial. 1 initial credentials require a bachelor's degree, 1 require a preparation program and 3 require tests. Apply through Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.
How do I verify a teaching license in Hawaii?
Licenses are verified on the lookup service run by Hawaii Teacher Standards Board. PT3 does not verify licenses.
Can I renew a Hawaii teaching certificate?
6 of 8 Hawaii credentials are reported as renewable. Renewal details by credential are listed in the Renewal section.
Does Hawaii issue emergency or temporary teaching certificates?
Yes. Title II lists 4: Career and Technical Education Permit; Emergency Hire Permit; Hawai`i Provisional License; Hawaiian Permit.
Can I teach in Hawaii with an out-of-state license?
Title II lists no separate out-of-state credential for Hawaii. Ask Hawaii Teacher Standards Board how it reviews licenses from other states.
Is there alternative teacher certification in Hawaii?
Yes. Hawaii reports 16 alternative routes to Title II.