Civil Beat Categories

Education

Hawaiʻi Colleges Face Loss Of Federal Grants For Minority Students Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020

Hawaiʻi Colleges Face Loss Of Federal Grants For Minority Students

The U.S. Department of Education terminated several grant programs on Wednesday supporting universities with high proportions of minority students, including Asians and Native Hawaiians.

Wildfires Create Long-Term Academic Challenges For Students Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Wildfires Create Long-Term Academic Challenges For Students

Students’ academic progress since the 2018 California wildfires indicates that Lahaina schools may face a long road to recovery.

Girls Remain Underrepresented In Hawaiʻi High School Sports Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018

Girls Remain Underrepresented In Hawaiʻi High School Sports

Public schools introduced flag football as an official sport last year to encourage more girls to participate in athletics.

Achievement Gap in STEM Widens Between Girls and Boys in Hawaiʻi Schools David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

Achievement Gap in STEM Widens Between Girls and Boys in Hawaiʻi Schools

The pandemic erased years of progress in erasing the performance difference between boys and girls nationally — and in Hawaiʻi.

Kamehameha Schools’ Admission Policies May Face Legal Challenge Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Kamehameha Schools’ Admission Policies May Face Legal Challenge

An anti-affirmative action group wants the school to end its policy of giving preference to Native Hawaiians. The school promises a vigorous defense.

Hawaiʻi DOE Starts Year With Unprecedented School Meal Shortages Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Hawaiʻi DOE Starts Year With Unprecedented School Meal Shortages

The cafeteria managers’ union is concerned the shortages will discourage students from purchasing meals and lead to possible cuts to school lunch staff.

Maui Private School Sued For Discriminating Against Transgender Kids Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Maui Private School Sued For Discriminating Against Transgender Kids

The two lawsuits filed against Maui Prep come amid national debates around transgender athletes in school sports.

State Fund Aims To Get More Kids Walking To School. Will They Be Safer? Matthew Leonard/Civil Beat/2025

State Fund Aims To Get More Kids Walking To School. Will They Be Safer?

The funds won’t be released until early next year, but the transportation department is looking at ways to expedite processes so work can begin within four months of receipt. 

Shortage Of Swim Lessons Leaves Honolulu Parents Scrambling (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025)

Shortage Of Swim Lessons Leaves Honolulu Parents Scrambling

Nonprofits are expanding efforts to reach more low-income kids, but a shortage of funding and pool space means not enough swim classes to meet the demand — even for families with money and time to spare.

Hawaiʻi Is Increasingly Relying On Unlicensed Teachers To Fill Vacancies Ku‘u Kauanoe/Civil Beat/2023

Hawaiʻi Is Increasingly Relying On Unlicensed Teachers To Fill Vacancies

The number of unlicensed teachers has steadily grown in Hawaiʻi schools since the pandemic, and the state may see a wave of retirements in the coming years.