The state has taken another step toward making preschool more accessible to keiki.
On Tuesday, acting Gov. Sylvia Luke signed House Bill 692 into law, expanding the age and income eligibility thresholds of the Preschool Open Doors program, which offers monthly tuition subsidies to eligible families.
It now includes 2-year-olds and families that make up to 500% of the federal poverty level. This would mean a family of four that makes up to $184,896 annually could now qualify.
“We're reaching the many families who fall into the gap — those who earn just too much to qualify for traditional assistance, but still struggle to afford care,” said Luke. “By expanding POD, we're not just giving our keiki across our state access to preschool, we're also lifting the burden from families who have long struggled with the high cost of living.”
Both the expansions to age and financial eligibility are part of Ready Keiki's larger effort to provide universal pre-K by 2032. This change comes after last week’s announcement that 50 new public preschool classrooms will open across the state over the next two years.
“It is really about equity and it's about compassion,” Luke said. “It's about taking care of our most vulnerable individuals.”
Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, stated that Hawaiʻi ranks as one of the highest states for quality early education, but continues to fall short in accessibility.
“The sooner we educate, the sooner we provide a positive environment, and the sooner our parents are assured their keiki will thrive, the better our community will be long term,” she said.
In 2024, similar expansions were seen, including raising age requirements to include 3- and 4-year-olds, as well as increasing subsidy amounts. Scott Morishige, administrator of the state Department of Human Services' Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division, noted that this has upped this year's number of applications by nearly 800 versus previous years.
The new eligibility thresholds will go into effect January 2026. Applications for the next POD open enrollment period will be accepted starting July 1.
