In 2023, Hawaii launched Ready Keiki, which aims to expand access to preschool for Hawaii’s 3- and 4-year-olds, with the goal of creating 465 new classrooms statewide by 2032. To achieve universal access to prekindergarten, the state plans to use a mixed-delivery system that includes private providers, public preschools, family child care centers, and federally funded Head Start programs. Hawaii has allocated $200 million, as stipulated by Act 257, to create 2,000 to 4,000 prekindergarten seats over the next two years. The funds will be used to expand existing facilities and construct new ones. The School Facilities Authority (SFA) determines eligibility for and distribution of these funds, a process that includes working closely with stakeholders to maximize the reach and efficiency of the investment.
Sources:
Ready Keiki. (n.d.). About Ready Keiki.
Office of the Lieutenant Governor. (2023). Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke unveils “Ready Keiki” plan.
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.