The state’s Preschool Open Doors has expanded its subsidy program, meaning more families can now qualify for a break on preschool tuition.
It’s one of the largest expansions to the state’s preschool subsidy program for families trying to get childcare for their kids.
Qualifying parents can now get up to $1,500 — which is a $600 increase — to subsidize monthly payments to send their children to preschool.
The program has also expanded to include 3 and 4-year-olds.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who led the efforts, said this will help struggling families.
“This is not just an opportunity to make sure that we have a child who is going into a good learning environment,” she said. “It's also allowing parents to go back to work while their kids are in a quality child care center and quality preschool program.”
The preschool program’s funding in the state budget has increased from $12 million to $50 million.
The additional funds have also allowed more families to be eligible for the subsidy.
For example, the 2023 eligible annual income for a household of four was $67,710 or below. Now that would be bumped up to $103,500.
Currently, Preschool Open Doors serves 740 students. It would now be able to give subsidies to an estimated 2,000 more children.
There are about 33,000 children statewide who are 3 and 4 years old, Luke said. Currently, about 18,000 children attend private or public preschool. There are about 26,000 preschool spots available statewide and 1,000 of those are public preschool seats.
Luke’s Ready Keiki program aims to create 465 classrooms statewide by 2032. She said that although the construction of the classrooms was estimated to cost about $1 million each, the rooms that have been built so far have been averaging about $410,000.
“Because of that we are able to build a lot more classrooms based on the amount that has been allocated from the Legislature,” Luke said.
“Because of the success of the program, we're already identifying significant numbers of classrooms for the next round of openings. So next August of 2024, we're planning to open a lot more.”
She highlighted a bill that has been introduced by the state Legislature that would allow for public preschools to open in public places such as libraries, parks and even housing developments.
Department of Human Services Director Cathy Betts said it will be important to also increase the pay for early childhood care workers, whom she says right now are some of the lowest-paid employees in the state.
“I think that anytime we talk about scarcity in staffing for early learning centers and preschools, we have to talk about the importance of a living wage,” she said.
“The importance of these folks being in dignified careers where they feel respected where there's opportunities for promotion, opportunities for growth, education, learning.”
Several bills are making their way through the Legislature that look at subsidies for workers who stay in early learning and preschool education.
Parents can apply for the preschool subsidies until March 28 to be considered for the program period beginning in July. Applications are accepted through patchhawaii.org, childcaresubsidyapplication.dhs.hawaii.gov or by calling 808-791-2130.
