Hawaii Association for Independent Schools

What Hawaii Association for Independent Schools does

Hawaii Association for Independent Schools (HAIS) is a private non-profit membership association headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, that supports the state's independent school community through accreditation, licensing, professional development, and family-facing information services. Its core regulatory functions are delivered through the HAIS Commission for Accreditation and the Hawaii Council of Private Schools (HCPS), which together oversee accreditation standards, evaluation visits, and licensing compliance for member schools. HAIS serves approximately 40+ private independent schools across Hawaii, acting as the central coordinating body between schools, educators, and families seeking private K-12 education.

HAIS's product and service portfolio is delivered through a website platform (hais.org / hais.us) supplemented by in-person events. Core offerings include the Find a School directory, the Education Fair, the Job Board, the HAIS Transcript Request service, professional development workshops, the HAIS Leadership Summit, the Cognitive Diversity Program, Girls Who Code, the Hawaiʻi DEI Conference, and the annual SOTF (Schools of the Future) Conference scheduled for October 21-22, 2026. The technology stack is described as a website-based platform providing online resources, event registration, a job board, transcript request services, and a member-only content management system, with no proprietary technology products or AI capabilities disclosed.

HAIS operates on a membership-dues-funded non-profit model, with revenue likely driven by recurring school membership subscriptions supplemented by conference, event, and professional development fees. Marketing and outreach are conducted community-led through the website, e-newsletter, and social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Vimeo), as well as through events such as the Education Fair and Open Houses. The association partners with the Secondary School Admission Office (SAO) for admissions processing and with Kupuna Consulting Services for member consulting support, while The Pacific Club in Honolulu serves as a venue partner. HAIS is governed by a Board of Directors, with no parent company, institutional investors, or external ownership indicated.

Name

Hawaii Association for Independent Schools

Legal name

Hawai'i Association of Independent Schools

Website

https://hais.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hawaii Association for Independent Schools is a non-profit membership association in Honolulu that supports Hawaii's private independent schools through accreditation, licensing oversight, professional development, admissions resources, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12/School & District Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accreditation Appeals, Arbitration & Compliance Oversight Bodies (EDADACAL)

Keywords

• Independent school accreditation
• Private school licensing
• Education membership association
• Professional development educators
• School support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: HAIS operates as a membership organization for independent schools in Hawaii, likely funded through annual membership dues from member schools.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HAIS is a non-profit membership association that supports independent schools in Hawaii through accreditation services (via the Commission for Accreditation), licensing oversight (via the Hawaii Council of Private Schools), professional development programs, and community-building events such as the Education Fair and SOTF Conference. The organization also provides resources to families seeking private school options, including a Find a School directory, open houses, transcript requests, and financial aid information.

Product overview

The Hawaii Association for Independent Schools (HAIS) operates as a membership organization serving independent schools across Hawaii, offering a portfolio of programs and services rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include an Education Fair connecting families with 40+ schools, a Find a School directory, annual SOTF Conference (October 21-22, 2026), a Job Board for educator recruitment, and accreditation/licensing services through the Commission for Accreditation. Additional services include professional development programs (HAIS Leadership Summit, Cognitive Diversity Program, Girls Who Code), HAIS Transcript Request, Financial Aid resources, Hawaiʻi DEI Conference, and Online Registration for events. These services function as standalone programs supporting the independent school community rather than as modules within an integrated platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education Fair An annual event allowing families to engage with 40+ schools, attend information sessions, and learn about educational options available in Hawaii.
• Find a School A searchable directory helping families locate and evaluate independent schools in Hawaii.
• SOTF Conference An annual conference scheduled for October 21-22, 2026, providing professional development and networking opportunities for educators.
• Job Board An online platform connecting schools with prospective educators and staff members.
• Accreditation Services Provides accreditation guidelines, templates, trainings, and evaluation processes for member schools through the Commission for Accreditation.
• Licensing Services Oversees HCPS licensing for private schools in Hawaii, including license status tracking and policy compliance.
• Professional Development Offers workshops, HAIS Leadership Summit, Cognitive Diversity Program, HAIS PD Travel Scholarships, and online registration for educator training.
• HAIS Transcript Request A service enabling families and students to request academic transcripts from member schools.
• Hawaiʻi DEI Conference A conference focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in education.
• Online Registration Digital registration platform for HAIS events, conferences, and professional development programs.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• SAO (Secondary School Admission Office)minorOthersSAO (Secondary School Admission Office) is referenced in the Member Services section of the website, providing application processing services for private school admissions. The partnership appears to support the Applying to Private Schools program.
• Kupuna Consulting ServicesminorOthersKupuna Consulting Services is listed as a member service provider on the HAIS website, offering consulting support to member schools.
• The Pacific ClubminorOthersThe Pacific Club at 1451 Queen Emma St, Honolulu serves as a venue for HAIS Executive Committee Meetings and other association events.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS): NAIS is the national membership association for independent (private) schools in the United States, providing accreditation support, advocacy, and professional development, and operates at the national scale where HAIS operates at the Hawaii state scale.
• Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS): PNAIS is a regional membership association serving independent schools across the Pacific Northwest, providing accreditation, professional development, and advocacy analogous to HAIS's Hawaii operations.
• New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS): NYSAIS is a state-level membership and accreditation association for independent schools in New York, directly comparable to HAIS in mission and operational structure.
• California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS): CAIS is a state-level membership and accreditation association for independent schools in California, directly comparable to HAIS in scope, mission, and member services.
• Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS): FCIS is a state-level membership and accreditation body for independent schools in Florida, performing the same core functions as HAIS in a different state market.
• Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE): AISNE is a regional membership association supporting independent schools across New England with accreditation, professional development, and member services, structurally equivalent to HAIS.

Broad incumbents

• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC): WASC is a regional accreditor serving a broader set of schools (public and private) across the western U.S., providing accreditation services that overlap with HAIS's accreditation function.
• Cognia (formerly AdvancED): Cognia is a large national/international accreditation organization for K-12 schools and systems, representing a potential alternative accreditor that competes with HAIS's accreditation role.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/HAISconnect
• YouTubevimeo.com/channels/1316639
• Facebookfacebook.com/HAISHawaii
• Instagraminstagram.com/haisconnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hawaii-association-for-independent-schools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hawaii Association for Independent Schools