College of Education > STE

Elementary Education

three special education teacher candidates holding up cards showing a letter, corresponding image, and the word to trace.

Why Teach Elementary Education? 

Teaching elementary education offers a unique opportunity to shape the academic and personal growth of children during some of their most formative years.

  • Here are compelling reasons why someone might choose this path:
    • Building Core Skills: Elementary teachers help students master essential subjects like reading, writing, math, and science—skills that are foundational to all future learning.
    • Nurturing Development: These years are critical for social, emotional, and cognitive growth. Teachers guide students in becoming more independent, responsible, and empathetic.
    • Being a Role Model: Elementary educators often become trusted figures in a child’s life, offering stability, encouragement, and inspiration.
    • Creativity in Teaching: Teaching young learners often involves creative lesson planning, hands-on activities, and integrating arts, games, and storytelling into instruction.
    • Long-Term Impact: A great elementary teacher can spark a lifelong love of learning and build confidence that shapes a child’s academic journey.
    • Every Day is Different: The energy, curiosity, and personalities of young students make teaching both lively and rewarding, with new challenges and joys each day.

Career Information

The state of Hawaii employs an average of 375 new elementary teachers each year.

As of 2024-2025 SY, the starting salary for all licensed teachers range from $53,390 – $68,753 and teachers can advance in pay throughout their career towards a salary of $101,371. In addition, Hawaii offers salary differentials to teachers who are licensed and are teaching in the highest need fields and the highest need geographical areas.

  • Special Education elementary teachers = + $10,000
  • Hawaiian Language Immersion elementary teachers = + $8,000
  • All elementary teachers in the following hard-to-fill geographic locales:
    • Tier 1: Kea‘au & Pāhoa Complex Areas = + $3,000
    • Tier 2: Kealakehe, Kohala, Konawaena and Lahainaluna Complex Areas = + $5,000
    • Tier 3: Honoka‘a and Ka‘u Complex Areas = + $7,500
    • Tier 4: Hāna, Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i, Nānakuli, and Wai‘anae Complex Areas, as well as, Olomana School and Hawai‘i School for the Deaf and Blind = + $8,000

Note: Salary differentials are stackable (e.g., an elementary special education Hawaiian Language Immersion teacher in Moloka‘i could earn and additional $26,000 per year). Differentials are contingent on annual renewal of state budget and funding.

Licensure Information

An elementary teaching license qualifies you to teach any grade from kindergarten to sixth grade. Since elementary teachers are required to teach the full curriculum to their classroom of students, elementary licensure programs focus on teaching strategies for all the core subject areas (i.e., reading/writing, math, science, social studies), as well as, additional subjects that elementary students learn (e.g., art, music, health, physical education).

Program Information & Options

The College of Education at UH Mānoa partners with many state community colleges that offer associate degree pathways in education. Those who complete their associate degrees through these programs can seamlessly transition to one of our UH Mānoa bachelor degrees with an elementary licensure track. 

Associate Degree Partners – Complete first and then transfer to BEd in Elementary for licensure

Note: Dual Licensure Pathways – Dual licensure pathways allow candidates to earn two separate teaching licenses at the K-6 grade level and can be completed in the same amount of time, and for the same cost. Dual licensure programs do often require some additional courses, however, UH Mānoa provides a 12-credit tuition cap, therefore the dual licensure courses are offered at no added cost. Upon graduation, candidates can take positions in either licensure field and having specialized in two areas often makes them more marketable or attractive to school administrators.

Bachelor Degree options: Candidates can pursue licensure in elementary only, or there are many specialized dual licensure opportunities available at the undergraduate level.

  • Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education
    • Elementary Education track
    • Elementary & Multilingual Learners track (Update Oct. 2025: not enrolling new students for Fall 2026 or Fall 2027)
    • Elementary & Special Education track (Update Oct. 2025: not enrolling for Fall 2026 admissions)
    • Elementary & Hawaiian Language Immersion track

Master Degree options: For those who already have a bachelor’s degree, we offer a graduate program for initial licensure in elementary, as well as offering two dual licensure options as well.

Post Baccalaureate Certificate options: For those who already have a bachelor’s degree or higher, we offer a shorter, 18-month program for initial licensure in elementary.

Funding Opportunities

Grow Our Own (GOO) Stipends: For candidates pursuing the Elementary & Hawaiian Language Immersion track, the Grow Our Own Teacher Initiative (GOO) stipends may cover 54 credits of tuition (about $25,000). Applicants must apply and be accepted for the GOO stipend. Priority criteria are used for selection; please refer to the Grow Our Own website for more details and a link to the application.

Someone Special Stipends: For candidates pursuing one of our licensure programs in special education, up to all tuition costs or half of dual licensure program tuition costs may be provided in return for teaching at least 3 years in a special education position in the Hawaii DOE upon graduation. No separate application is required; upon annual renewal of funds, all admitted candidates in these programs would be offered the opportunity to accept the stipend. Please refer to the website for more information

Financial Aid & Scholarships: Browse through all the different funding opportunities on our website: coe.hawaii.edu/funding

Getting to Know Us

Meet some of our faculty, students, and alumni in the field of elementary education!

Stephanie Furuta is a Specialist, and Program Chair of Graduate & Non-Licensure Programs in the School of Teacher Education (STE). Stephanie has been faculty in the Master of Education in Teaching Program for most of her time in the STE. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses, supervises teacher candidates in the field, and works collaboratively with colleagues at UHM, personnel in the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE) and other organizations to support STE programs, candidates, faculty, and staff. Prior to her work at UHM, she was an elementary school and district resource teacher in the HIDOE. 

Contact

(808) 956-4390

furutas@hawaii.edu

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Dr. Elizabeth “Brook” Chapman de Sousa is an Associate Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Education. Her scholarship focuses on pedagogy, participation of multilingual children and families, and educator professional development. In 2022, she was awarded the Dr. Amefil “Amy” Agbayani Faculty Diversity Enhancement Award and was named the Hubert V. Everly Endowed Scholar in Education. Dr. Chapman de Sousa is involved in multiple grants to support teacher professional development, such as Kuhikuhina Kaulike: Promoting Instructional Conversations for Equitable Participation Among Native Hawaiian Students, funded by the U.S. Department of Education and ʻŌlelo Nō Ke Ola:…

Contact

(808) 956-0802

ebsousa@hawaii.edu

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Cynthia Farley is the coordinator for the Exceptional Students and Elementary Education (ESEE) dual licensing program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She prepares teacher candidates to integrate a variety of effective strategies into their diverse classrooms. Prior to coming to UH, she taught in general education and special education in K-12 settings throughout the continent and in Germany. Her research interests include high-leverage practices, evidence-based practices, novice teacher support, neuroeducation, and teacher preparation.  

Contact

(808) 956-7871

farley87@hawaii.edu

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Rosela Balinbin Santos is an Associate Professor in the School of Teacher Education at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and teaches elementary social studies methods and multicultural perspectives courses. She also facilitates school partnerships and teacher candidate field experiences. A former elementary educator, Balinbin Santos actively supports in-service teachers through professional development workshops focused on social studies and social justice education. She serves on the College of Education’s Tinalak Filipino Advisory Council, the Teacher Education Committee for Social Studies, and the UH Mānoa Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Issues Board. Balinbin Santos is an active member of the Association of…

Contact

(808) 956-4154

rosela@hawaii.edu

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Contact

(808) 956-2588

buelow@hawaii.edu

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Dr. Kuʻulei Serna is a Professor and Director of the Institute for Teacher Education, Elementary Education Program. Before working at UH Mānoa, Dr. Serna was a Hawaii DOE classroom and state resource teacher. Dr. Sernaʻs passion is to support the academic success, health, and well-being of school-aged children, especially those who are from socially disparate populations. She emphasizes the importance of educating the “whole” child, not only nurturing their intellect, but their social, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. Dr. Serna’s research interests include Native Hawaiian well-being, education, and advancement, as well as school health initiatives. She continues to integrate her…

Contact

(808) 956-4412

kserna@hawaii.edu

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Lucy Sanders is an Instructor and Cohort Coordinator in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Education, where she works in elementary teacher preparation programs, including the Exceptional Students & Elementary Education (ESEE) dual licensure program in general and special education. She teaches literacy, assessment, and classroom environment courses and supervises student teachers in field settings. Lucy holds a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Mind, Brain, and Education program and a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from New York University. A former elementary teacher with ten years of experience in general and special…

Contact

lucysm@hawaii.edu

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Dr. Aaron Sickel serves as cohort coordinator and field supervisor for the Elementary Education Program in the School of Teacher Education. Additionally, he teaches mathematics, science, and STEM education courses. Prior to his current position, he served in a range of roles in teacher education. He was an educational specialist in STEM and instructional practices for the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design and prior to that served as a tenured Lecturer in teacher education for Western Sydney University in Australia. Aaron studies how beginning educators develop knowledge for teaching, the design and development of…

Contact

sickel@hawaii.edu

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Dr. Monica Gonzalez Smith is a researcher and educator specializing in multilingual education, teacher inquiry, and teacher preparation. She began her teaching career in Miami, Florida, teaching in Title I public schools serving Spanish- and Haitian Creole-speaking students across primary and secondary levels. Her scholarship examines community-responsive pedagogies, triadic inquiry as a model for teacher learning, content and language integrated learning, and social-emotional learning for multilingual learners. She also investigates how school–university partnerships can strengthen professional preparation for teaching in diverse educational contexts.

Contact

(808) 956-7877

monicags@hawaii.edu

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Contact

(808) 956-3823

fultonl@hawaii.edu

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Contact

(808) 956-4409

rayfujii@hawaii.edu

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Contact

monson4@hawaii.edu

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Contact

(808) 956-0726

alevine@hawaii.edu

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Seanyelle Yagi is an Associate Professor in the School of Teacher Education. She serves as a cohort coordinator in the Master of Education in Teaching program and teaches elementary mathematics methods at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her area of specialization is in K–8 mathematics education and teacher education. She is interested in advancing meaningful and innovative curriculum and instructional approaches in Grades K–8 mathematics. Sean’s most recent work is in designing early elementary curriculum and instruction that develops young children’s early algebraic thinking through a measurement context. Maintaining a strong connection to practice is inherent to her professional work.

Contact

(808) 956-9956

slyagi@hawaii.edu

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Contact

stacya@hawaii.edu

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Scott taught middle and high school science in public and private schools in Ohio and served as a teacher educator in Florida and New York before joining the UH Mānoa College of Education in 2006.

Contact

(808) 956-4415

scottdr@hawaii.edu

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Makella Diaz
Makella Diaz BEd in Elementary Education Student (opens in a new window)
  Describe your road to higher education. While I will…

“As a young mom, I often doubted myself and my abilities, but since becoming a student with the University of Hawaiʻi, I have never felt more empowered and capable. This journey has given me a strong sense of purpose, and I am eager to continue growing.”
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Daniel Forsythe
Daniel Forsythe BEd in Elementary Education & Hawaiian Language Immersion* (opens in a new window)
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“Having a statewide program was so so helpful because it allowed me to stay in my hometown, contributing to my community and working in my field while I pursued and eventually completed my degree and teaching licenses.”
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Heather Omori, Master of Education in Teaching Alumni
Heather Omori MEdT Alumna and 65th Cherry Blossom Queen (opens in a new window)
Where do you work? I teach third grade at Daniel…

“My educational experiences were a huge benefit during my time as a Cherry Blossom Contestant.”
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Caroline Kikkawa
Caroline Kikkawa MEdT Student and First MEdT Student Ambassador (opens in a new window)
Where do you work? I teach 6th grade social studies…

“I attribute my students’ growth and the strong, trusting relationships I fostered and maintain with them to the MEdT program.”

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