#Hawaiʻi Department of Education

More than 2,100 pounds of Hawaiʻi-grown pineapple have been distributed to participating Oʻahu schools as part of the initial rollout. Twenty-one schools are currently offering the locally grown fruit, with additional schools expected to join over the next month.

Gov. Josh Green announced that state offices, most Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) public schools, Kauaʻi Community College and Judiciary facilities on Kauaʻi will reopen Monday, Sept. 14, as conditions continue to improve following Hurricane Lowell.

Hawaiʻi State Department of Education public schools in Kauaʻi County are preparing to welcome students back to campus Monday, Sept. 14, following a week of closures due to impacts from Hurricane Lowell. The HIDOE will make a determination on Kīlauea Elementary and Hanalei Elementary by 4 p.m. today on whether or not to resume operations on Monday.

The closures include all public schools on Oʻahu, all public schools on Kauaʻi, Niʻihau High & Elementary School, and Department offices on Oʻahu and in Kauaʻi County.

The football teams from Hawai‘i’s Lahainaluna High School and California’s Paradise High School came together for a historic matchup Saturday evening in West Maui, bringing two communities that were both devastated by wildfires together on the field to celebrate hope, resilience and the strength of community.

More Hawaiʻi families will have access to free, high-quality early learning opportunities this school year as the Executive Office on Early Learning opens 18 new public prekindergarten classrooms across 15 public school campuses.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) has developed plans to resume in-person learning for students at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School and Nāʻālehu Elementary School as recovery efforts continue following Hurricane Lala.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education continues recovery and planning efforts for Nāʻālehu Elementary School and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School following significant impacts from Hurricane Lala.

Following assessments of school campuses and surrounding community conditions, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education will close all public schools and HIDOE offices statewide on Monday, Aug. 17.

Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, students from households with incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level are now eligible for one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education has already served nearly 145,000 free summer meals to children across the state, providing access to nutritious breakfasts and lunches while school is out for the summer.

The agreement supports implementation of Act 137 and advances the Hawai‘i State Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to increase local food procurement, including its goal of sourcing 30% of school meal ingredients locally by 2030.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education announced that 74 public schools, including 10 on Maui, will offer free summer meals to children ages 18 and younger, starting June 9 through July 17. Meals are available Monday through Friday through the USDA’s Seamless Summer Option (SSO) program. Children do not need to be enrolled in public school to participate.

Tofu poke, prepared fresh in school cafeterias, featured tofu mixed with green onions and onions, tossed in a Hawaiian-style sauce of shoyu, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Although the recent severe weather impacted the availability of local produce across the state, schools were encouraged to incorporate locally grown vegetables, if available, as part of the Department’s broader farm-to-school initiative.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education marked the opening of its Lahaina educator workforce housing development, a $20 million project designed to support teacher retention and strengthen public education on Maui.

Students and teachers are already scheduled to be off this week for spring break (March 16-20). At this time, HIDOE schools are scheduled to reopen Monday for year-round staff, with the exception of Hāna High & Elementary School, which is impacted by debris and remains without power while restoration efforts continue.

In alignment with Gov. Josh Green’s directive issued on March 12 in response to severe weather conditions impacting the state, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education will implement the closure of all public schools and HIDOE offices on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i and in Maui County on Friday, March 13.

Students at Kahaluʻu Elementary School enjoyed locally grown microgreens on their lunch plates this week, harvested just across the street from campus at Kupu Place. Because of the farm’s close proximity, the greens were picked Sunday, delivered Tuesday, and served to students Wednesday.

King Kamehameha III Elementary, Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate School and Lahainaluna High School will reopen on Wednesday, Feb. 11. 

The Department, which serves over 103,000 meals per day to students statewide, plans to operate up to two regional kitchens on Oʻahu, two on Hawaiʻi Island and one each on Kauaʻi, Maui and Molokaʻi. Standalone production kitchens will continue at Hāna High & Elementary, Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, Lānaʻi High & Elementary and Nāʻālehu Elementary schools.