In July 2024, Governor Josh Green signed Act 152, which authorized repurposing unused public school facilities and other state-owned properties for early learning programs. In this way, Hawaii aims to expand access to early education programs, particularly for families in underserved areas of the state.
The measure instructed the Department of Education to inventory suitable empty classrooms for potential use by charter schools and early learning programs and to solicit applications from early learning programs interested in using and occupying all or portions of the facilities.
The act prioritizes sites with sufficient space for three or more classrooms.
Sources:
Weber, K., Leffler, L., & Schulman, K. (2025). Work in Progress: State Child Care and Early Education Updates 2024. National Women’s Law Center.
State of Hawaii Executive Chambers. (2024). GOV. MSG. NO. 11.53.
Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:
High-quality, affordable early education and care supports children’s healthy development and allows families to work, engage in their own educational pursuits, and/or participate in other aspects of community life. To support children and families in these instrumental ways, research suggests there is a need to expand the availability of early education opportunities across the mixed-delivery system.
Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:
- Families rely on a range of formal (e.g., Head Start, center-based care, public pre-K) and more informal (e.g., home-based, relative care) early education settings; when choosing a setting for their child, families balance many logistical constraints and personal preferences.
- But for many families – and especially low- and middle-income families – early education choices remain tightly constrained due to issues of affordability and supply.