The state has been struggling to bring early education to more of Hawaii’s children for decades and now at last has begun showing real progress. That’s encouraging, because with every year that preschool is within reach of more kids, the prospects for their success, in school and in life, grow stronger.

Since 2022, when the state’s Ready Keiki program received its $200 million investment for the addition of new preschool classrooms, it’s become clear to Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and others that both public and private participation are crucial elements.

Luke is at the helm of Ready Keiki, and this week met with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser editorial board to note its expansion milestones and the challenges that remain — among them a persistent workforce shortage.

The initial focus on creating new public facilities has had an impressive result: A total of 13 classrooms have been added statewide, including two that opened in January at Nanakuli Elementary School. And 44 more new classrooms are set to welcome new students when the school year begins in August.

Further, two new advances were made by the Legislature this year; Gov. Josh Green should sign them into law:

>> Senate Bill 3087, which would enable the Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) to establish preschool programs in available public buildings, through public-private partnerships, and not be limited to conventional classrooms. EOEL testified in strong support, rightly pointing out that community-based options “are necessary to meet families’ unique needs and demands” for nontraditional hours or settings. Already being eyed are pre-K classrooms at the Pearl City and Waikoloa public libraries, and the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo.

>> SB 3116, which would establish an open-enrollment system for the Preschool Open Doors subsidy program for attendance at private preschools.

This would allow more families to apply and be considered continuously until allotted funds are exhausted. Target groups, including those unable to attend public kindergarten as well as underserved 4- and 3-year-olds, would be favored only during a priority application period.

This change should serve more families, helping to support the state’s established network of private preschools. It is important to leverage the existing school capacity as the state builds toward universal preschool access.

Earlier efforts put all their focus on either the private pathway, with subsidies or vouchers to private preschools, or the public approach by building onto public school campuses, Luke said.

“One of the things we realized very quickly is, in order for the early-education build-out to work, you have to do it in all ways,” she said. “So you have to build out public pathways where private providers won’t go in.

“But at the same time we don’t want to supplant, just build out public pathways and take over where private providers are.”

Correct. There is still reason to bolster both routes to early education. The state’s most recent assessment still shows nearly 8,100 children underserved by preschool, and officials calculate that 405 more classrooms are needed.

Luke believes the legislative groundwork is largely done, but teacher workforce issues remain. Ready Keiki already has reached out to the University of Hawaii and Chaminade University, working to provide more accessible and affordable alternatives for private- and public-preschool training. Grants underwriting tuition support and other incentives for new teachers should be continued and pursued, going forward.

Taxpayers must keep these long-term goals in mind. Today’s preschool keiki will be given the tools for an adulthood that contributes to Hawaii’s future. Even if the full benefits lie far downstream, all of these investments deserve public support.