Civil Beat Staff

Cassie Ordonio

Cassie Ordonio was a reporter for Honolulu Civil Beat. She joined the news organization as an intern in 2021, having previously interned at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser for a year, covering the Legislature, social issues, education and more.

She also reported for San Francisco-based newspapers El Tecolote, 48 Hills, Ingleside Light and Castro Courier.

Cassie, of Filipino and Chamorro descent, was born and raised in California. She recently graduated from the University of Hawaii Manoa with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Pacific Islands studies.

Along with working for Civil Beat, she is also one of 22 fellows for AAJA Voices, a mentorship program that aims to increase diversity in journalism while providing mentors from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN to train them.

When she’s not working, she’s on a desperate search for some good horchata or simply trying to keep her house plants alive.

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Hawaii BOE Approves Potential Salary Boost For Some Superintendents Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Hawaii BOE Approves Potential Salary Boost For Some Superintendents

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The committee deferred similar pay adjustments for other top executive positions.

Teacher Housing Has Only Been In Rural Areas, But That Could Change Ku’u Kauanoe/Civil Beat/2019

Teacher Housing Has Only Been In Rural Areas, But That Could Change

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Proposed legislation would fund a pilot program with locations in urban Oahu.

Ua Pupū Ka Hoʻolālā ʻAna No Nā Papa ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Ma Nā Kula David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Ua Pupū Ka Hoʻolālā ʻAna No Nā Papa ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Ma Nā Kula

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Hoʻāpono ka hapanui o nā kumu a me nā mākua i ka hoʻolaha ʻana i ke aʻo ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ʻana, i loko nō o ka ʻike ʻana i nā hihia ma ka hoʻokō ʻana. 

Here’s What Hawaii Can Learn From Other States About Universal Preschool Suevon Lee/Civil Beat/2017

Here’s What Hawaii Can Learn From Other States About Universal Preschool

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Half a dozen states have universal pre-K programs, but their features vary widely.

A $500 State Tax Credit For School Supplies? Hawaii Teachers Say That’s A Good Start Ku‘u Kauanoe/Civil Beat/2023

A $500 State Tax Credit For School Supplies? Hawaii Teachers Say That’s A Good Start

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Out-of-pocket expenses from pencils to lesson plans are a fact of life for educators.

Kamalani Academy Charter School Expected To Close In June After Commission Vote Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Kamalani Academy Charter School Expected To Close In June After Commission Vote

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The school’s governing board said it plans to appeal the decision.

New Punahou Program Mixes In Hip-Hop To Get Hawaii’s Students Active In Civics David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

New Punahou Program Mixes In Hip-Hop To Get Hawaii’s Students Active In Civics

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The details of how the initiative will be rolled out in the state’s public schools are still being ironed out.

Plans To Expand Hawaiian Language Studies In Schools Stall David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Plans To Expand Hawaiian Language Studies In Schools Stall

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Most educators, parents and teachers approve of broader access to olelo Hawaii learning while acknowledging the challenges around implementation.

Why Blind Students Struggle To Get Braille Textbooks On Time Courtesy: Tabatha Mitchell/2023

Why Blind Students Struggle To Get Braille Textbooks On Time

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Legislators are considering a bill that would force public schools to provide timely instructional material.