The application period for the state’s Preschool Open Doors (POD) program has officially opened.

Beginning Tuesday, July 1, low- to middle-income households can apply for the POD program (administered by the state’s Dept. of Human Services) which provides monthly childcare and preschool tuition subsidies for qualifying families.

Last week, Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke signed Act 203 (House Bill 692) into law, expanding on the state’s Preschool Open Doors program tuition subsidy program.

The state has taken another step toward making preschool more accessible to keiki.

On Tuesday, acting Gov. Sylvia Luke signed House Bill 692 into law, expanding the age and income eligibility thresholds of the Preschool Open Doors program, which offers monthly tuition subsidies to eligible families.

A new law signed Tuesday by Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke will significantly expand Hawaii’s Preschool Open Doors program, extending eligibility to younger children and higher-­earning families, while also easing restrictions on child care providers.

House Bill 692, now Act 203, will take effect Jan. 1 , broadening eligibility to include 2-year-olds and removing the requirement that child care providers be accredited — an often expensive and time-­consuming process that has limited participation.

Serving as Acting Governor, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke signed a major expansion of the state’s Preschool Open Doors (POD) tuition subsidy program into law on Tuesday, June 24.

Act 203 (House Bill 692) will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The law reduces barriers for accessing child care in Hawaii by expanding eligibility to include two-year-olds and removing accreditation requirements for child care providers.

A newly signed bill will expand preschool access to include two-year-olds.

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, serving as Acting Governor, signed Bill 692 on Tuesday, a major expansion of the state’s Preschool Open Doors (POD) tuition subsidy program.

“We know that far too many working families fall into the gap, they earn too much to qualify for help but still struggle to afford quality child care,” said Lt. Governor Luke.

The state program that funds early education for families in need is accepting applications.

Families with 3- or 4-year-olds born between Aug. 1, 2020, and July 31, 2022, can apply. Families of eligible children will receive a subsidy linked to their needs and the type of preschool they choose.

For example, a family of four with a monthly income of up to $9,200 a month would qualify for the program.

The State is helping more families pay for preschool for this upcoming school year. If you haven’t been able to qualify due to income restrictions, the state urges you to try again. Preschool Open Doors is a state-funded program through the Department of Human Services (DHS) that provides monthly preschool tuition subsidies.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke with the state’s Department of Human Services announced the Preschool Open Doors Priority Application Period for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, which opens today, Feb. 18, 2025, and runs through April 30, 2025. Preschool Open Doors is assisting families to pay for preschool for the July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 school year for eligible 3- and 4-year-old children. 

Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke and executive director of PATCH Carol Wear share the good news about the Ready Keiki initiative's Preschool Open Doors (POD) expansion to a year-round application which includes 3- and 4-year olds. Applications are abeing accepted through January 31, 2025

The Preschool Open Doors program has been expanded, allowing families to apply at any time throughout the year on a rolling basis, instead of the previous fixed application period from January to the end of March.

The program provides monthly preschool tuition subsidies to qualified families for up to two years before kindergarten. Parents can choose any preschool licensed by the state Department of Human Services.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke on Tuesday announced that the preschool tuition subsidy program is now accepting applications year-round.

The Preschool Open Doors program aims to give more children in Hawai‘i a chance to enroll in private preschools. The initiative is funded by the state Department of Human Services and administered by the organization People Attentive To Children, or PATCH.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who is serving as Acting Governor, joined the state’s Department of Human Services to announce that the preschool tuition subsidy program, Preschool Open Doors, is now accepting applications on a year-round basis.

A preschool subsidy program through the state is expanding.

It's called Preschool Open Doors, and Tuesday afternoon Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke announced the expansion.

Hawaii families needing help paying for preschool are encouraged to apply for a newly expanded state program that provides monthly tuition subsidies to qualified students.

The Preschool Open Doors program is now offered for 3 and 4-year-olds, and income eligibility limits were increased to support more working families.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke said the state remains dedicated to expanding access to preschools all around the state. She said far too many children have been unable to go to preschool simply because there are not enough classrooms or their parents cannot afford private pre-school tuition.

An estimated 2,000 more preschool children across the state are expected to receive early childhood education through subsidies made possible after the Legislature in 2023 increased funding to $50 million from $12 million to expand the “Preschool Open Doors” program, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke announced Thursday in her fifth-floor office of the state Capitol.