Everyone has an opinion about education and they seem more than happy to share it. Of course, we don’t always agree. It is a matter of our personal experiences and perspectives. Nelson Mandela called education the most powerful tool you can use to change the world, while Mark Twain joked that he never let his schooling interfere with his education.

One thing we can all agree upon: We all want our children to have the best education possible — one that will help them to achieve their potential in life, no matter which path they choose.

Our kids in Hawaii deserve our best efforts to give them a good start on life, and we have a unique opportunity to do just that. With a culturally rich and ethnically diverse student population, Hawaii represents a microcosm of the world’s future. We have teachers, principals and administrators deeply committed to equipping our children with the knowledge and skills they’ll need. We have a Board of Education responsible for setting policies and standards to ensure all children a quality education, regardless of their economic background or ZIP code. What’s more, we have a long and deeply rooted tradition of collaboration and cooperation among our citizens. We already know and agree that the education and welfare of our children is a collective responsibility in which every community stakeholder plays an essential role. By working together, coordinating and aligning our efforts, we have the potential to realize a world-class education system reminiscent of our heritage and worthy of national even global emulation.

We believe Hawaii’s education system can flourish. To accomplish this, we need to act now and to be as smart about education in Hawaii as we want our children to be.

We hope you’ll frequent our Website and join the growing numbers who support, expect and demand excellence in Hawaii’s public schools. For our part, we will ensure that this site serves as a portal to guide and assist you in your efforts to support your student(s), school(s) and our Board & Department of Education in this odyssey.