Megan Tagami

1 month ago | civilbeat.org | Megan Tagami

Advocates for working families are concerned that bad things are coming with federal cuts and hoped the Legislature would do more to increase the state’s safety net. Sarah Osofsky returned to school last year to earn her master’s degree in social work, hoping to give back to her community and find a job that would pay enough to survive Hawaiʻi’s high cost of living. Now, less than two weeks away from graduation, the mother of two is struggling to find a position that can sustain her family.

1 month ago | civilbeat.org | Megan Tagami

The Department of Education wants more power over school construction and repairs, but some state leaders are skeptical of the change. At the start of the legislative session, Hawaiʻi school officials came to lawmakers with a bold request: stop funding pet construction projects and let the Department of Education take control of its budget instead. The department receives an average of $454 million in capital improvement funds each year.

2 months ago | civilbeat.org | Megan Tagami

More than 20% of students in Hawaiʻi don’t have all of the vaccines required to attend school. If a 95% immunization rate is the threshold needed to protect unvaccinated students from a measles outbreak, data from Hawaiʻi public schools paints a worrisome picture. Roughly two-thirds of public elementary schools in the state reported vaccination rates below 95% last year, though it’s unclear which vaccines those students were missing.

2 months ago | apnews.com | Megan Tagami

Ronlynn Arce typically starts her Sunday at 4:30 a.m. at Mililani Mauka Community Park — more than three hours before her kids’ flag football games begin. The park requires all visitors to find street parking, and space is scarce as dozens of teams gather on the weekends for games. “Parking is pretty hectic,” Arce said. Nine years ago, the city and state seemed to find a solution. Nearby Mililani Middle School was looking to expand its campus and build a parking lot using an acre of the park’s land.

2 months ago | civilbeat.org | Megan Tagami

With limited space at city parks, communities are calling for the education department to make schools more accessible for recreational use. Ronlynn Arce typically starts her Sunday at 4:30 a.m. at Mililani Mauka Community Park — more than three hours before her kids’ flag football games begin. The park requires all visitors to find street parking, and space is scarce as dozens of teams gather on the weekends for games. “Parking is pretty hectic,” Arce said.