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

From Civil Beat:

Emma Kurashige, a mother of two children, worries about her 1-year-old son getting into pre-kindergarten.

The 39-year-old social worker said she was lucky to get her daughter now age 7 into preschool after a wait of more than a year.

She has yet to hear back from the several preschools she applied to last year for her son. As a result, she contemplated quitting her job while trying to source child care.

“It’s difficult trying to work, watch your child and take turns with your other half,” Kurashige said. “You can’t give your 100% to your child and to your work.”

Kurashige’s dilemma illustrates Hawai‘i’s growing demand for preschool classrooms as many parents from low- to middle-income families continue to struggle to get their children into preschool. That issue was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which closed some preschool classrooms permanently.

Continue reading at civilbeat.org.