Kamalani Academy, a charter school in Wahiawā, will close in June after governing board members announced on Thursday night they will not appeal the Hawaiʻi State Public Charter School Commission’s decision to shut down the school.

Kamalani will be the third charter school in Hawaiʻi’s history to be shut down by the state.

The charter commission decided in January not to renew Kamalani Academy’s contract for next academic year, citing the school’s ongoing financial and organizational challenges. The school has not paid rent for its campus since October and is facing the possibility of eviction, Kamalani governing board chair Aumoana Kanakaole said during Thursday’s meeting.

Kamalani could have appealed the charter commission’s decision to the Board of Education, but will not be doing so. The school doesn’t have enough money to pay both its staff and rent through the academic year, Kanakaole said, and trying to keep Kamalani open past June would be irresponsible.

The school will send out a letter informing families and staff of its decision soon, Kanakaole said.

The school was originally set for closure in 2023, when the charter commission voted to close Kamalani for keeping poor student records and running an unauthorized virtual learning program. But it successfully appealed the decision to the Board of Education, buying itself another two years.

Civil Beat’s education reporting is supported by a grant from Chamberlin Family Philanthropy.