State Board of Education reappoints Keith Hayashi as Hawaiʻi schools superintendent

The Hawaiʻi Board of Education has reappointed Keith T. Hayashi to a new four-year term as superintendent of the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, extending his leadership through December 2029. The decision was approved during a special board meeting Nov. 5.

Hayashi will continue to oversee the nation’s only statewide public school district, which serves 164,000 students across 296 campuses on seven islands and operates with a $2.8 billion budget. A four-year term is the maximum permitted under state law.

Board members said the reappointment reflects confidence in Hayashi’s performance and the need for stability across the state’s public school system.

As part of his renewed contract, Hayashi’s salary will increase to a base of $294,674 annually. Future compensation adjustments will be tied to performance metrics, including student achievement targets and other board-approved goals.

“The Board of Education remains dedicated to transparency and has approved an increase in the superintendent’s salary to ensure continued strong leadership and to remain competitive in attracting and retaining top educational talent,” said Board Chairperson Roy Takumi.

In its evaluation of Superintendent Hayashi’s performance for the 2024–2025 school year, the board granted him a cumulative satisfactory rating for meeting its stated expectations and goals, with several areas rated as exceeding expectations.

“I appreciate the board’s continued confidence and the opportunity to keep serving our students, families and public school communities,” Hayashi said. “We’ve made important progress in recent years—academically, operationally and in how we support schools—and I’m committed to building on that momentum. The goal remains clear: to ensure every student in Hawai‘i graduates ready to thrive, rooted in local values and prepared for a changing world.”

Hayashi, a longtime educator and former principal of Waipahu High School, was first appointed superintendent in 2022. His full biography is available on the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education website.