Two years after the Maui fires, many students are still struggling — and not all of them are receiving the help they need.

Lawmakers have pushed the education department for more details on the costs of running its school meal program.

Schools often request more than $150 worth of supplies at the start of each year. Unlike some other states, Hawaiʻi has no rule against it.

School surveys show an uptick in parent satisfaction with the school system, although response rates remain low.

An estimated 1 in 6 community college students are enrolled in programs at risk of losing federal loan eligibility if UH can’t prove graduates earn more than residents with a high school diploma.

The state has seen a boost recently in the application rate for federal financial aid, but it still falls short of its pre-pandemic level.

Lawmakers are wary about giving the education department more money and control over construction funds after leaders have struggled to spend millions of dollars in recent years.

Geographic exceptions were intended to give families more flexibility with their children’s education, but the process may be exacerbating educational inequality.

The cost of renting and purchasing a home in Honolulu has grown at three times the rate of first-year teachers’ salaries since 2019.

The education department has been unable to keep up with the housing boom in ʻEwa and Kapolei – even as developers contribute land and money to help build new schools.