Business View Magazine | April/May 2022

127 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 4 HAWAII Associationof Independent Schools KEEPING PRIVATE SCHOOLS STRONG IN THE ALOHA STATE O ne of the lesser-known facts about Hawaii is that it has one of the highest rates of private school attendance in the nation. With its origins in special schools founded by early Protestant missionaries, Hawaii’s private school system had the distinct and unusual advantage of a decades-long ‘running start’ over public education – remaining a popular choice for families, despite the “Paradise tax” and high cost of living on the islands. Currently, 16% of K-12 students attend one of the state’s 112 private schools, while the national average floats at around 8%. Advocating on behalf of independent education in Hawaii for shared needs and issues of mutual concern, the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS) has, for over 50 years, provided services to strengthen its over 100 member schools and engage them to achieve educational quality and excellence. With its primary activities