Hawaii commission would recommend public school closures and changes

A nine-member commission would review public school facilities and recommend which schools to consolidate, realign, or close. The commission covers Hawaii department public schools and their facilities, not charter schools. The commission must use public hearings to develop its review criteria and consult the Board of Education. The review excludes charter schools. The commission must publish its preliminary report notice within 100 days after all voting members are appointed.

The commission would issue final recommendations that become binding when it files its final report. The recommendations may cover consolidation, realignment, or closure of specific public schools. The commission must hold at least one public hearing in each county on its preliminary report, with at least 20 days’ advance notice. The Board of Education and Department of Education must carry out the recommendations; no further approval is required. The final report is due by October 1, 2028, and implementation is due by October 1, 2029; recommendations may be phased over time.

The state would set aside up to $150,000 for the commission’s operating costs. The money is for the public school realignment and closure commission. The Department of Accounting and General Services would spend the money for the purposes of the Act. The funding provision takes effect July 1, 2026; the rest of the Act takes effect July 31, 2026. The commission ends June 30, 2029.