Hawaiʿi only funds preschool spaces for about 420 of its over 17,000 preschool-eligible four-year-olds. Kamehameha Schools is teaming up with the early education advocacy organization Good Beginnings Alliance (GBA) to boost that number by educating the voting public about GBA’s “Yes on 4” campaign.
“The goal of the campaign is to pass ballot question number four on the 2014 general election ballot,” said Jacce Mikulanec, Policy and Community Partnerships director for GBA. “Passing this question would amend our state’s constitution to allow the legislature (should it choose) to contract with non-profit preschools to offer preschool to four-year-olds in Hawaiʿi.”
Participating schools would be required to meet high-quality industry standards, not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, or ancestry, and submit to state oversight.
“This is about making sure our keiki have the preschool experience they deserve so they can excel in kindergarten and beyond,” Mikulanec added.
KS has been committed to early education in Hawaiʿi for more than 25 years. Each year KS dedicates nearly $50 million to support the state's littlest learners. This year that investment will include a $500,000 grant to GBA to enable the organization in collaboration with KS to spread the word about the “Yes on 4” campaign.
KS has the largest private preschool system and need-based preschool scholarship program in the state. Last year, KS provided a culture-based preschool education to over 1,500 keiki through its 30 preschools statewide. It also awarded $15 million in scholarships to 2,300 keiki to help them attend other accredited preschools in their communities.
“While KS’ impact is significant, it is through community collaborations and partnerships that KS is able to further its reach and reiterate its commitment to early education for Native Hawaiians,” said Chris Pating, vice president for Community Education and Implementation.
“We look forward to helping GBA and all preschool advocates educate our immediate and extended KS ʿohana on this important topic affecting our state.”
With the burden of preschool costs impacting families, many choose to forego the experience citing financial burden as a main reason. Hawaiʿi was, until this summer, one of only ten states not funding a statewide preschool system.
Should Hawaiʿi positively respond to ballot question four during the general election, the state will have the flexibility to provide more high-quality preschool to more keiki in just a matter of years versus decades.
“I, along with the other members of the state’s Early Learning Advisory Board fully support increased focus on important early education efforts including the Yes on 4 ballot initiative,” added Pating. “We all agree that we must not wait any longer to make early learning experiences available to as many as keiki as possible. Their future and the future of our state require immediate attention and unwavering support of early education priorities.”
To learn more about the Yes on 4 campaign, visit: yeson4hi.org or follow the project on Facebook or Twitter.
Photo by KS photographer Michael Young.
Putting Hawaiʿi’s littlest learners first
FACT:
Ninety percent of a child’s brain is developed by the age of five.
FACT:
Approximately 42 percent of keiki in Hawaiʻi have not attended preschool.
FACT:
Hawaiʿi only funds preschool spaces for about 420 of its over 17,000 preschool-eligible four-year-olds.
YES ON 4, is a project of the Good Beginning Alliance. Voting YES on ballot question four in November’s general election will provide the state with the flexibility to provide a quality preschool education to more island keiki.
For more information, visit yeson4hi.org.
We all agree that we must not wait any longer to make early learning experiences available to as many as keiki as possible. Their future and the future of our state require immediate attention and unwavering support of early education priorities.
Chris Pating, KS VP for Community Education and Implementation
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