Lawmakers are also grappling with the decades-old question of how to better fund charter facilities to make it easier for school leaders to secure affordable learning spaces for their students and meet families’ growing demand.

Some advocates are hopeful this legislative session could be the year for change, with one bill providing more opportunities for charter schools and the state to partner with private developers to build campuses in high-need areas.

“It’s not going to change the whole state overnight,” said David Sun-Miyashiro, executive director of the advocacy group HawaiʻiKidsCAN. “But I think it’s just kind of how we provide a new model, and a new case study for what’s possible.”