Dozens of new Hawaii preschool classrooms, are there enough teachers?

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Dozens of new preschool classrooms will be up and running in August when the 2024-2025 school year gets underway and they will be free for qualified families.

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Educators are still needed statewide amid Hawaii’s teacher shortage, however a total of 44 spaces that went unused in Hawaii Department of Education schools have been converted into preschool classrooms. KHON2 sat down with Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who championed the project through her Ready Keiki initiative and said it is not just about providing free early education.

“So, we’re not only about opening new classrooms, we wanted to make sure in a parallel track that we have enough teachers,” Luke said.

Luke said she teamed up with the University of Hawaii and Chaminade University to provide scholarships and tuition waivers for those who take the teaching pathway. The Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) added their Early Childhood Educator Stipend Program is prefect for those who have not graduated from high school yet.

“Many people are looking for teachers, teaching assistants and trying to build the greater field of early care in education,” EOEL director Yuuko Arikawa-Cross said. “We will pay for people, whether you’re in high school, getting your child development associate’s or if you want to go for your associate’s degree, bachelor’s, master’s.”

Taking 44 spaces that were previously unused and refurbishing them into preschool classrooms is certainly a plus, so KHON2 asked if there are enough teachers to staff them.

“These 44 preschools, yes, we do have teachers for those preschools. We also are working with our high schools and their career technical education programs,” DOE deputy superintendent Heidi Armstrong said, “to garner interest into the teaching field.”

DOE officials also pointed to there still being about 270 vacancies online for teacher positions across the state. The first teacher of the Kuhio Elementary preschool classroom had some advice for those who are considering becoming an educator.

“I definitely say pursue it and EOEL has a lot of opportunities to help you excel in your education. Even if you want to just be an assistant, they’ll help you with that or even be a teacher.,” future Kuhio Elementary preschool teacher Lehela Naki said. “They’ll help you get more knowledge on that, even… we’re all lifetime learners, right?”