Many Hawaiʻi families expected expanded preschool subsidies to begin in January, following the implementation of Act 203. The law, effective Jan. 1, made 2-year-olds eligible for tuition assistance through the state’s Preschool Open Doors program, which previously covered only children ages 3 to 5.
However, the Department of Human Services (DHS) told families in December to delay applying for subsidies for 2-year-olds. The agency has not yet finalized the administrative rules required to implement the new eligibility.
Flyers distributed by DHS said applications for 2-year-olds would not open until early 2026. Some preschool providers had urged families to prepare for state assistance ahead of the anticipated changes.
DHS now plans to adopt new rules this spring and open applications for the 2025–26 school year starting in April, DHS Administrator Scott Morishige said in a statement.
The expansion is part of a broader state initiative to offer preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds by 2032. As of October, around 5,890 children still needed access to preschool.
Malia Tsuchiya, early childhood policy and advocacy coordinator at the Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network, said the delay stems from recent federal policy shifts and new reporting requirements. “It’s not for any lack of want or desire,” she said.
Currently, the program serves families earning up to 500% of the federal poverty level, or about $184,900 for a family of four. Eligible families pay a maximum of $45 monthly in copayments, according to DHS.
Despite increased funding, DHS has underspent its subsidy budget. Last year, the state used less than half of its $50 million allocation. Morishige said DHS expects to spend approximately $42 million by June.
“We’re giving back money under Preschool Open Doors,” said Sen. Troy Hashimoto during a legislative hearing last year. “And nobody’s concerned about that, I think.”
Kerrie Urosevich, executive director of Early Childhood Action Strategy, said access to tuition assistance does not guarantee available preschool seats. Hawaiʻi continues to face a shortage of preschool capacity, partly due to a limited workforce.
“If a family doesn’t have child care available in their community or near their work, depending on where they prefer, they’re not going to access it,” Urosevich said.
DHS has expanded eligibility to include more working families and those experiencing homelessness or domestic violence. Enrollment in the program rose from about 660 in summer 2024 to more than 3,200 children, Morishige said.
Paula Yanagi, director of Ka Hale O Na Keiki Preschool on the Big Island, said roughly 10 families at her school had planned to receive assistance for their 2-year-olds this year and are now struggling to pay tuition.
While she welcomed the state’s progress, Yanagi noted that the uncertainty complicates financial planning for providers. She also cited delays in processing existing applications.
“In some cases,” she said, “families have kept their children home from school since they can’t afford the full tuition on their own.”
“I think everyone’s hopes were high,” Yanagi added. “They were like, ‘How much longer? I don’t know how much we can continue to pay.’”
