17 new Big Island teachers hired through Teach For America program

HILO — Big Island schools hired 17 teachers this school year through the Teach For America-Hawaii program.

Fourteen were placed in West Hawaii schools and three in East Hawaii. They are among 50 new Teach For America instructors hired statewide this year.

Teach For America is a national program that recruits and trains professionals and college graduates to teach for at least two years in the country’s urban and rural schools.

The program began in Hawaii in 2009 and now has about 650 alumni statewide, spokesman David Miyashiro said. Most are recruited from out-of-state, though about 150 have been Hawaii residents, Miyashiro said.

The program operates in Hawaii’s Title I schools and targets low-income students.

“We go wherever the highest need is in Hawaii,” Miyashiro said.

According to the Department of Education, more teachers are needed. Hawaii’s public schools have about 600 vacant positions, which are filled with substitute teachers until a permanent hire is secured.

On Hawaii Island, there are 77 vacancies. Thirty-five are in West Hawaii schools and 42 in East Hawaii.

“It has a huge impact on the learning,” said Sharon Beck, principal of Ka’‘u High and Pahala Elementary School, which hired three TFA instructors this year. “But we’re very lucky the subs we do have are very committed to our school so they go beyond planning. But it’s putting out a lot of extra effort because they’re having to teach content which might not be their specialty.”

Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.