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Hawai‘i Has $200 Million To Spend on Pre-K. Who Gets The Money?
July 15, 2022

Fellows mentioned in this story: Kerrie Urosevich, Cohort III
Projects mentioned in this story: Early Childhood Action Strategy

From Civil Beat:

In March, Julie Kalakau determined which children would fill the seats of Sunshine School for the 2022-23 school year. When she was done, she realized that there were still enough applicants to fill two more classroom spaces, but her preschool was at capacity.

Hawai‘i faces a critical shortage of early learning centers. The problem was made only worse by the coronavirus pandemic, which forced some owners to permanently close their doors. A new law seeks to change this.

In a historic investment for early childhood education in Hawai‘i, Act 257 allocates $200 million for the construction, expansion or renovation of prekindergarten facilities across the state. The School Facilities Authority must spend the money by the end of June 2024.

Continue reading at civilbeat.org.