Kathryn Matayoshi is apparently on her way out as superintendent of Hawaii’s public school system.

The state Board of Education said in a press release Wednesday evening that it would begin discussing a replacement for Matayoshi at its Nov. 1 meeting.

Matayoshi, who earned $200,000 last year as head of the state Department of Education, has a contract that expires June 30, 2017.

“This is an ideal time to transition to new leadership that will help the DOE continue its efforts to reduce the achievement gap and prioritize achievement for all students,” said BOE Chairman Lance Mizumoto in the release.

Kathryn Matayoshi. Board of Education. 21 july 2015. photograph Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Hawaii School Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. Cory Lum/Civil Beat

The agenda item calls for the BOE to form a committee to set a timeline for a search for a new superintendent.

“It is anticipated that the BOE will conduct its search over the coming months, with the hopes that a successful candidate will begin employment on July 1, 2017,” the release states.

Matayoshi was appointed to the post in 2010 and the BOE extended her contract in 2014 despite a lobbying effort by more than a dozen current and retired principals to delay the decision and convince board members that the state school district’s central leadership team needed a facelift.

Board members voted to renew Matayoshi’s contract on the condition that she produce a report responding to the principals’ concerns.

About the Author