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The 2026 Legislative Session marks the 9th session for HawaiiKidsCAN. Our wins have included millions of dollars in funding to help students enter high-wage careers, the structure for better data-sharing by government agencies on behalf of kids, and fundamental supports for families around digital access and trauma-informed services. We’ve also had sessions where some of our favorite bills stalled out early.
Through it all, we’ve been powered by the support of incredible advocates in the community, from students to industry partners. As we dive into 2026, we have the most diverse policy portfolio yet, with three legislative, two Board of Education, and one implementation goal. Each goal is the product of countless hours of stakeholder conversations, research, and the opportunity to change outcomes for many kids.
Yesterday, the halls of the State Capitol were filled with a sense of purpose as Governor Josh Green delivered his 2026 State of the State address. We were proud to have our team member, Kekoa McClellan, on the floor representing HawaiiKidsCAN and our shared mission to advocate for every student in Hawaii.
Governor Green’s address, titled “A Vision for Hawaiʻi’s Future,” took a pragmatic, middle-of-the-road approach. He was candid about the financial headwinds we face, specifically the “shaky footing” of the federal government. With potential shutdowns and the uncertainty of federal dollars that typically fund core services—including the very salaries of state employees who provide our safety net—the Governor emphasized the need for Hawaii to be self-reliant and protective of our essential programs.
As we move into the heart of this session, we remain committed to ensuring that even in times of fiscal uncertainty, our kids’ education remains a top priority. Thank you in advance for being part of our journey this year!
Join Us
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Legislative goal
Expand teacher training in structured literacy and access to supports for students with reading difficulties.
As Hawaii is the only state in the nation without laws on the books related to dyslexia, we aim to codify universal screening and support for students with dyslexia and expand relevant teacher professional development.
Bill numbers
Legislative goal
Create innovative funding option for new public school facilities.
In a number of Hawaii communities, longstanding facility needs and enrollment growth have outpaced the state’s ability to deliver schools through traditional construction timelines, resulting in overcrowding and limited access to quality public education options for students and families. To respond to these needs, we aim to empower the School Facilities Authority to develop an innovative new facilities funding model to deliver public school facilities in a more timely and cost-effective manner, including through public-private partnerships that leverage private sector expertise and financing.
Bill numbers
Legislative goal
Amend statutory language of the Hawaii Promise scholarship to increase accessibility and effectiveness.
The Hawaii Promise Scholarship has the potential to enable many more Hawaii students to achieve their higher education dreams. We aim to improve the program through legislation that improves its structure, including incentivizing students to pursue other financial aid to support basic needs and other expenses, and simplifying the administration of the program for aid professionals.
Bill numbers
BOE goal
Ensure the Board of Education has a comprehensive literacy policy grounded in best practices and the science of reading.
We aim to revise the Hawaii State Board of Education’s statewide K-12 literacy policy to include universal screening in all public elementary schools for students grades K-3 to screen students for reading challenges and ensure curricula and instruction are aligned with structured literacy and the science of reading.
BOE goal
Ensure a rigorous, stand-alone financial literacy graduation requirement is adopted by the Board of Education.
While our years of advocacy have helped to push the Hawaii Department of Education to recognize financial literacy through the Personal Transition Plan, we know that students want and deserve financial literacy that prioritizes applied, real-world topics and actions such as budgeting for higher education finances, filling out FAFSA, and career planning. We are pushing the Board of Education to approve a rigorous, stand-alone course as a new graduation requirement.
Implementation/administrative goal
Implement state’s new data sharing commission based on Act 154.
By passing Act 154 in the 2025 legislative session, we created the new Data Sharing and Governance Working Group to increase collaboration and remove barriers related to data sharing between education and all other sectors. We are serving on this new working group to ensure that it lives up to the intent of the legislation, which prioritizes data sharing to better support young people to access pathways that enable them to survive and thrive in Hawaii.
We are also excited to support initiatives like the Numeracy Coaching Program (HB1781 / SB2337) and school cellphone bans that create distraction-free schools (HB1559). Stay tuned for exciting events this year at the Capitol and new collaborations with student advocates like Girl Scouts of Hawaii.
Don’t forget to sign up here to get on our action list for this session. We are grateful for your support!
2026 Hawaii Legislative Calendar: Key Dates
To keep you informed on the road ahead, here are the critical milestones for the 2026 Regular Session of the Hawaii State Legislature:
| Date | Milestone |
| January 21 | Opening Day of the 2026 Legislative Session |
| January 26 | Governor’s State of the State Address |
| January 28 | Bill Introduction Deadline |
| March 12 | First Crossover (Bills must move to the other chamber) |
| April 29 | Final Decking (Non-fiscal bills) |
| May 1 | Final Decking (Fiscal bills) |
| May 8 | Adjournment Sine Die |
In case you missed it – plenty of smiles and sunshine this past weekend at our 3rd annual K-12 Parent and School Expo! With more than 400 participants, 30 education partners, and several student performances, we couldn’t have asked for a more positive experience. Families received free admission to explore the full Bishop Museum campus, so we were grateful to be at such an incredible local space for learning! See you next year.