Who We Are
Our Vision, Mission & History
Since our founding in 1921, the Hawaii Education Association has been dedicated to affirming the professionalism of Hawaii’s teachers and supporting excellence in education.
HEA was the original advocacy organization for Hawaii teachers, and for nearly 50 years, represented the education community on the issues of school maintenance and teacher salaries before the Territorial and State Legislatures. During the State Constitutional Convention of 1968, HEA was the first to testify in support of public collective bargaining. After the constitution was amended to allow public sector employees the right to organize, HEA played a major role in the establishment of three collective bargaining units for educators that endure to this day — Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA), University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA), and Hawaii Government Employee Association (HGEA) Unit 6. With the formation of the unions, HEA’s focus shifted to promoting teacher excellence and professional development. In 1994, HEA acquired 501(c)(3) nonprofit status to continue our support for local educators.
Throughout HEA’s history, loyal and committed members have supported the organization through generous annual donations to support scholarships for pre-service education and active teachers, the Teaching As A Career (TAAC) program, and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (ExTL) initiatives.
2020-21 Board Members
Our board represents decades of experience and leadership in teaching and education. The HEA board of directors guides and sets the strategic vision and goals for our organization to ensure we continue to meet the needs of Hawaii’s educators.
Members of the HEA Board of Directors are composed of nine (9) directors elected by Association members. Board members serve two-year overlapping terms and meet five times a year.
