January 31, 2023
Kamehameha Schools supports the Ready Keiki initiative to ensure that all of Hawaii’s keiki have access to a preschool education. There are currently not enough early learning seats to meet the demand, leading to a serious equity gap. In 2020, Hawai‘i lawmakers committed to provide all 3- and 4-year-olds with the opportunity to attend preschool. They set aside $200 million last year to start building preschool classrooms and renovating existing facilities. The Ready Keiki plan aims to have 80 new classrooms operational by August 2024, with a total target of 465 by 2032. KS has been working alongside state and county agencies as well as nonprofit and private organizations to create a mixed delivery system to achieve universal access to pre-K. News conference video courtesy of ʻŌlelo Community Media.
Kamehameha Schools’ policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law.
