Hawaiʻi, with leadership from Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, has set the goal for universal access to early learning programs for all 3- and 4-year-olds by 2032. We are well on our way to achieving this goal through a mixed-delivery system, leveraging our public and community-based programs via combined investments in public pre-K classrooms and preschool subsidies.

While the state would like to take a more aggressive approach to opening public preschool classrooms moving forward, Luke said, the Ready Keiki initiative is also relying on private providers and charter schools to help expand access. The state is starting larger construction projects, like standalone preschool centers, that could add seats more rapidly as they open in the next few years.

Hawaiʻi remains a national leader in preschool quality, meeting all 10 of the National Institute for Early Education Research’s (NIEER) benchmarks for high-quality early learning, according to NIEER’s newly released 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook. 

Hawaiʻi met all 10 national benchmarks for preschool quality, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research’s (NIEER) 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook, maintaining its status as a national leader in early childhood education.

A new report shows that Hawaii preschool programs rank among the top best state-funded programs nationally.

During the 2023-2024 school year, The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) reported that Hawaii preschools enrolled 1,026 children, which was an increase of 322 from the year prior.

State spending per child equaled about $7,400 in 2023-2024, down $3,200 from 2022-2023, adjusted for inflation. State spending for that year totaled $7.5 million.

Parkway Village is adding two preschools to the community: a public charter preschool in partnership with Kamehameha Schools and Parents And Children Together (PACT), offering 80 seats for the broader community, and a second preschool run by Keiki O Ka ‘Āina, which will provide 40 seats exclusively for Parkway Village residents by 2025. These efforts align with the state’s Ready Keiki initiative, expanding access to affordable, high-quality early education.

More than 8,000 eligible Hawaii children do not attend preschool due to high costs and limited availability of spots in desired programs, a situation that warrants policy intervention and greater overall support, according to new analysis by the University of Hawaii Research Organization.

Since 2022, when the state’s Ready Keiki program received its $200 million investment for the addition of new preschool classrooms, it’s become clear to Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and others that both public and private participation are crucial elements.

As Hawaii stands on the verge of educational reform, the implementation of universal prekindergarten (pre-K) emerges not only as a practical solution to provide our children quality education and a promising future, but also as a critical step toward achieving social justice and equity in our society.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke has been tasked with launching a new early learning program.

Child care is a major factor that contributes to the post-30s earning cliff facing women, as mothers with young children are more likely than fathers to reduce their work hours. In Hawaii, the high cost and low availability of child care exacerbate the problem.