The Promise of Universal Access to Preschool
Ready Keiki is a multi-faceted plan led by Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke to provide access to preschool for Hawai’i’s 3- and 4-year-old keiki. The initiative takes a mixed-delivery approach to increase the number of available pre-K seats across the islands by the year 2032.
Why is preschool important?
Preschool provides young children with a strong foundation for their future learning and development. According to recent research, more than 85 percent of brain development occurs from birth to age 5. During this critical period of growth, early learning allows children to develop the readiness skills that will prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.
Children who attend preschool are also more likely to have better attendance and higher rates of high school graduation and college enrollment. Preschool also allows parents of young children to have the option of returning to work. In short, preschool is an important investment in a child’s future that can have a positive impact on their life outcomes.
The Beginning of Ready Keiki
Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke holding a planning meeting with Ready Keiki partners.
In 2020, the Hawai‘i State Legislature enacted Act 46, a landmark measure that established the goal to expand preschool access to all 3- and 4-year-olds statewide by the year 2032. The Ready Keiki initiative works to achieve that goal through actionable, collaborative efforts in partnership with key leaders and stakeholders in Hawai‘i’s early learning community.
While she was a state representative, Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke led efforts to appropriate funding towards this goal. The Legislature made a significant investment with the passage of Act 257 (2022), which designated $200 million to build and renovate facilities to expand access to preschool.
Ready Keiki is a way to reimagine education in our state and expand access so that all local families have the opportunity to benefit from early learning. Momentum continues to grow toward achieving universal access to preschool, building on the decades of hard work from the Ready Keiki partners, the Legislature, and the early learning and childcare community in Hawaiʻi.
