Charter school OKs
teachers’ contract

Waialae becomes the first charter
school to sign with the HSTA

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Star-Bulletin staff

Waialae School has become the state's first charter school to ratify a teachers' contract with the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

The 30 teachers and the school board unanimously ratified the one-year contract last week. It takes effect July 1.

School board member Mary Lucasse said the contract recognizes the teachers' professionalism and "rewards them for the work they do for our students."

"It gives them job security to have a contract with us," she said.

Charter school teachers were not part of the new contract for state Department of Education teachers, and state law requires charter schools to negotiate teacher contracts with the union, Lucasse said.

The elementary school's contract meets or exceeds the Department of Education contract, she said, pointing to 3 percent to 6 percent bonuses for teachers with advanced degrees and a pay scale that surpasses the top DOE scale.

Waialae School was the state's first charter school in 1995. Twenty-two charter schools now operate in Hawaii. Charter schools are publicly funded but are free from most laws and regulations except for collective bargaining, health and safety, discrimination and federal policies. They remain accountable for student performance and money spent through a contract or charter with the Board of Education.