The Hawaiʻi State Public Charter School Commission and the Hawaiʻi Public Charter Schools Network hosted a dynamic and informative conference for charter school leaders, governing board chairs, and charter supporters on Monday, July 22, 2024. The event, held at the Koʻolau Ballrooms and Conference Center, was well-attended and provided a space for educators to learn, collaborate, and network.

State Public Charter School Commission Executive Director Ed Noh shared, “We had three clear goals: to celebrate the charter movement, to collaborate together, and to co-construct some initiatives.”

The conference featured numerous breakout sessions covering essential topics such as policies, laws, and administrative rules, budgets and finance, academic interventions, performance assessments, personnel management and development, and opportunities for grants and other resources.

Five Hawaiian immersion and Hawaiian-focused charter schools, in partnership with Kamehameha Schools, shared the work they have been doing around mission-aligned performance systems.

Hawaiʻi Public Charter Schools Network Chair Gene Zarro expressed his gratitude for the great turnout and the commitment to planning the next steps for the charter school movement, stating, “It was important that it didn’t just end without the next steps. I really wanted the next step to be part of this, so that’s where the priorities are going to come up—things that we can continue working on.”

The conference provided a valuable platform for collaboration, learning, and planning for the future of charter schools in Hawaiʻi. With the insights and strategies shared, charter schools across the state are better equipped to overcome challenges and continue providing high-quality education to the more than 12,000 students we serve.

Click here to watch a short video story of the event.