Chapter 12: Hawai’i: Staff Writer¹

Hawai’i’s educational history and operation are unique among the 50 states. As the last state to join the Union in 1959, Hawai’i is also among those rare states never having experienced school finance litigation. A major reason for such uniqueness is that Hawai’i is the only state in the nation to have only one school district within its borders, making inter-district fiscal equity a moot point. Since traditional school finance equity is not a topic for dispute in Hawai’i apart from intra-system equity, only issues of adequate funding remain as a point of contention.

The constitution² of the state of Hawai’i specifically provides for public education. Article 10 §1 says: