State kicks off annual recruitment blitz for Hawaii teachers

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Education Department's annual recruitment blitz is already underway.

On Thursday, teachers can connect with Hawaii recruiters in an online job fair.

And from February to March, recruiters will head to nine mainland cities to woo prospective educators.

Every year, Hawaii needs to hire from 700 to 1,200 public school teachers to fill vacancies — left by departures and retirements.

The state has tried to decrease the number of vacancies with a number of programs, including those meant at bolstering mentorship opportunities for new teachers.

But those programs only do so much given Hawaii's high cost living.

A 2017 report ranked Hawaii the second-worst state for teachers, largely because salaries can't keep up with the cost of living.

A starting public school teacher in Hawaii earns $35,962 to $51,238, depending on their education and whether they've completed a state-approved teacher education program. Teachers with more education and up to five years experience can earn from $47,443 to $64,815.

The state didn't immediately respond to a request for more information on how many vacancies it's looking to fill this year.

But the Education Department did say it's planned recruiting trips for a host of cities, from Tampa to Atlanta to Denver.

The DOE is also hosting virtual job fair in which prospective applicants can chat with recruiters.

The next fair is set for Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.