Posted on: Friday, October 1, 2004
EDUCATION
Fast-track program to fill teacher slots
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
The state Department of Education will pin its "STAR" on a five-year $2.4 million federal grant to fill teacher vacancies.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser At the start of school in August, the state was almost 400 teachers short.
STAR, which stands for State Teacher Alternative Route, involves a collaboration between the Department of Education, Brigham Young University-Hawai'i and the University of Phoenix. Money from the grant covers salary and tuition for the candidates, who have 24 months to complete course work for certification.
"They can receive their education on weekends, afternoons or at night," said Fay Ikei, personnel services branch director of the Department of Education. Ikei was among the DOE representatives yesterday who accepted a $499,937 check yesterday from U.S. Department of Education deputy assistant secretary Kenneth Meyer for the project's first year.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser Earlier yesterday, Meyer presented Momilani Elementary School with its 2004 Blue Ribbon Award for academic excellence in meeting tougher academic standards under the federal No Child Left Behind law.
Momilani Elementary in Pearl City and Liholiho Elementary in Kaimuki were recognized nationally last month after students scored among the highest in the state on standardized tests in the 2002-03 school year.
Meyer will visit Liholiho Elementary for its Blue Ribbon presentation at 1:30 p.m. today.
Including STAR, the DOE offers four alternative routes for post-baccalaureate certification of provisional teaching hires filling immediate vacancies in high-need academic subject areas, such as special education at all levels, and secondary-school math, science, English and counseling.
Candidates who pass a screening process will be placed in high-need schools and receive full-salary benefits. They will receive on-site mentoring, cohort support and quarterly supervision.
Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.
The department hopes to attract mid-career changers and retired military and highly qualified paraprofessionals to help fill as many as 575 positions by offering an accelerated track to teaching certification, says STAR project director and personnel specialist Dale Asami of the DOE's Recruitment and Retention Support Center.
Momilani Elementary School yesterday received a Blue Ribbon Award for Academic Excellence under the No Child Left Behind law. A bird provided children unexpected entertainment as state education officials received a federal grant to fill teacher vacancies.
The balance of the grant, which is related to the "No Child Left Behind" law, will be paid in annual increments over the next four years.
Kenneth Meyer, deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, yesterday congratulated students and teachers at Momilani Elementary School.
