Hawaii Association of Independent Schools
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HAWAI'I ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (HAIS) ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF INDEPENDENT EDUCATION IN HAWAII, PROVIDES SERVICES THAT STRENGTHEN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AND ENGAGES THEM TO ACHIEVE EDUCATIONAL QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE FOR ALL STUDENTS. HAIS FACILITATES COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AMONG ITS MORE THAN 100 MEMBER SCHOOLS ON ISSUES OF MUTUAL CONCERN, AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS SHARED NEEDS. THE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES OF HAIS ARE: 1) PERPETUATING SCHOOL RENEWAL THROUGH ACCREDITATION AND/OR LICENSING OF ITS MEMBER SCHOOLS; 2) DEVELOPING AND DELIVERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES RELEVANT TO 21ST CENTURY LEARNING FOR THE FACULTY AND STAFF OF ITS MEMBER SCHOOLS; 3) PROMOTING CHOICE AS AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY VALUE AND ASSISTING PARENTS IN LEARNING ABOUT INDEPENDENT EDUCATION; 4) CREATING PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT AND ENHANCE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
- Income
- $1.8 million
- Spending
- $2.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 0.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 55%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $212,600, executive director, secretary
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.9 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 69% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $857,990 spent. SCHOOLS OF THE FUTURE CONFERENCE, HAWAII EDUCATIONAL NETWORKING CONSORTIUM, AND HEADS AND TRUSTEE SUMMIT AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WORKSHOPSSCHOOLS OF THE FUTURE CONFERENCE - A COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENT JOINTLY PRESENTED BY THE HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, THE HAWAII ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND THE HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HAWAII SOCIETY FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION. THE CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER, SEVERAL THOUSAND EDUCATORS FROM HAWAII'S PUBLIC, PRIVATE, CHARTER AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS TO HEAR AND INTERACT WITH INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, NUMEROUS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FEATURED SPEAKERS AND EDUCATORS FROM HAWAII'S OWN PK-12 SCHOOLS IN A WIDE-VARIETY OF PRESENTATIONS.THE HAWAI'I EDUCATIONAL NETWORKING CONSORTIUM (HENC) IS A COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN DECEMBER 1993 AMONG THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I (UH), THE HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (HDOE), AND THE HAWAI'I ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (HAIS). THE PURPOSE OF HENC'S EFFORT IS TO FACILITATE AND COORDINATE HAWAI'I-BASED COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTION AND SUPPORT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. AS ONE OF ITS PROGRAMS, HENC ANNUALLY AWARDS HAWAII SCHOOLS DIGITAL MEDIA (HSDM) GRANTS RANGING FROM $1,000 TO $4,000 TO HAWAII'S EMERGING K-12 VIDEO PRODUCERS. THESE GRANTS ALLOW ANY ACCREDITED PUBLIC, CHARTER, PRIVATE OR PAROCHIAL SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF HAWAII TO DEVELOP OR EXPAND DIGITAL MEDIA VIDEO PROGRAMS AND CREATE ORIGINAL SCHOOL-BASED VIDEOS. HAIS MANAGES THE AWARD AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE HSDM GRANTS.
- $844,946 spent. THE ANNUAL HAIS LEADERSHIP (HEADS AND TRUSTEE) SUMMIT IS OFFERED ANNUALLY TO MEMBERS OF HAIS'S SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS. THE EVENT IS CENTERED AROUND A SIGNIFICANT TOPIC OF IMPORTANCE FACING MEMBER SCHOOLS, SUCH AS RISK, SAFETY, GOVERNANCE ISSUES AND SO FORTH. IT GENERALLY INCLUDES SEVERAL SPEAKERS WHO ARE EXPERTS ON THE FOCAL TOPIC. HAIS SUPPORTS ITS 100 MEMBER SCHOOLS BY DEVELOPING AND OFFERING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDE CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS AND OTHER PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS. HAIS PROGRAMS COMPRISE ONE FACET OF THE SERVICES OFFERED TO MEMBERSHIP, WHICH BOTH DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY IMPACT MORE THAN 3,200 EDUCATORS AND 33,500 STUDENTS STATEWIDE. ACCREDITATION - A SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM OF PEER REVIEW EVALUATION WHICH CERTIFIES THAT SCHOOLS MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS DEFINED BY AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY, SUCH AS THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (WASC) AND HAIS. THROUGH THE PROCESS, SCHOOLS HOLD THEMSELVES PUBLICLY ACCOUNTABLE TO FAMILIES, FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATIONS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND ALL WHO SEEK ASSURANCE THAT A SCHOOL MEETS CERTAIN GENERALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS OF EDUCATIONAL QUALITY, OPERATION AND STAFF COMPETENCE.THIS PROCESS INVOLVES A SELF-STUDY WHICH GUIDES FUTURE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT. IT PROVIDES FOR SELF-EXAMINATION THAT RELATES ALL ELEMENTS OF A SCHOOL AND THEIR IMPACT UPON STUDENT LEARNING. THE ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED AS EACH CONSTITUENT GROUP ASSISTS TO EVALUATE HOW WELL THE SCHOOL ACHIEVES ITS MISSION AND EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS IN A FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE MANNER.HAWAI'I COUNCIL OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS (HCPS) LICENSING - ALL PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN HAWAII ARE REQUIRED TO BE LICENSED BY THE HAWAII COUNCIL OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS (HCPS) OR ACCREDITED BY A RECOGNIZED ACCREDITING BODY TO ENSURE THAT THEY MEET BASIC HEALTH, SAFETY, OPERATIONAL AND EDUCATION PROGRAM CRITERIA TO OPERATE AS A SCHOOL, ACCORDING TO ACT 188 (1995), ACT 227 (2019) AND ACT 61 (2022) PASSED BY THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE. THE HAWAII COUNCIL OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS (HCPS), THE LICENSING ARM OF HAIS, IS AUTHORIZED BY THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO LICENSE ALL PRIVATE SCHOOLS OFFERING K-12 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. HCPS VERIFIES THAT ALL PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII MEET AND MAINTAIN MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL, SAFETY AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS SET BY THE STATE.THE ANNUAL KAHEWAI SUMMIT IS HELD VIRTUALLY AND EXPLORES HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO ACHIEVING WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE THROUGH TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE STRATEGIES FOR ALL PROVIDERS WHO SERVE CHILDREN AGES 0-5. THE SUMMIT ENGAGES ATTENDEES WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND REFINE WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE PRACTICES AIMED AT SUPPORTING THOSE SERVING HAWAI'I'S EARLY LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND IS ATTENDED VIRTUALLY BY ABOUT 400 PARTICIPANTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1970.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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