Spend the money on private schools!
-
11/30/2008
To the state's credit, it is trying to attract better teachers to instruct in the public school system, but for as long as I can remember, public school teachers were left with few books and supplies, outdated technology and furniture, and sub-standard teaching conditions. Many of the teachers had to spend what little money they had (not the greatest pay) to purchase supplies for their students. Not to mention - drugs, crime, and gangs run rampant in some of the worst public schools. This is not much different than in other states, but it is important to note that just because you are in the "aloha state", these issues do not disappear.
One thing that many newcomers do not realize is that the high school that people attend can either make or break them. One very strange thing about Hawaii is that often times (i.e. in job interviews), the high school that you went to is more important than the college that you graduated from. This is another reason why it is difficult for non-locals to break into the job system there. Some of the top schools are: Punahou, Iolani, Mid-Pacific, St. Louis (for boys only - especially if your son is into sports). Punahou and Iolani definitely compete for the top school in the state.
MH | Sterling, VA