Megan McCorriston, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Seagull Schools
Behind every effort to support Hawai‘i’s keiki are champions leading the way. In this new monthly series, we’re spotlighting one leader whose work is helping to strengthen the systems that care for our youngest keiki and their families. In this first edition, we are honored to feature Megan McCorriston, CEO of Seagull Schools and a member of the Commit to Keiki Steering Committee. Guided by the belief that access to education is a fundamental human right, Megan has dedicated her career to expanding opportunities for children. Her expertise in education policy and practice, along with her steady leadership through times of change, reflects the vital role that early learning providers play in building a strong foundation for Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki.
Q: What personal or professional experiences have most shaped your commitment to supporting young children and families in Hawai‘i?
A: I started my career as a research student at the University of Oxford during which time I worked abroad to improve systems of education, especially for marginalized groups such as refugees and asylum-seekers. My philosophical belief in education as a human right led me to specialize in inclusive education in public education systems. While marginalized groups such as refugees are not as common in Hawai‘i, I returned home with the same commitment to Hawai‘i’s children. I am most passionate about developing strong schools and systems of education that have the power to transform community. We must do what we can as a society to support this goal through quality improvements to both public and private pathways to education.
Q: From your perspective, what does a strong, resilient early childhood system look like? What’s at stake if we fail to strengthen it?
A: Early childhood is the most critical period of a person’s development which is often overlooked in the general discourse around education. To ensure that we are raising healthy and resilient children who can meet the demands of a K-12 education and beyond, we must also create an early education system that is underscored by a highly qualified, well-trained system of early childhood educators who are compensated fairly. We also need to develop a pipeline of talent that can replace the skilled educators in our system who are set to retire. At present, Hawai‘i’s early childhood system is at serious risk of talent leaving the profession for other careers. We also have fewer young people going into further education and higher degree programs for early education which threatens the viability of both public and private early learning programs. A fair compensation structure and effort to grow these programs in Hawai‘i may resolve this. There are many ways to view staff compensation, including financial support for furthering their education.
Q: Is there a project, program, or initiative you’ve been involved in —in the past — that you feel represents meaningful progress for young keiki and families? What was its focus, and what impact did it have?
A: At Seagull, we invest a lot of resources in our staff to ensure that they receive ongoing training and are on a continuous path of improvement. Seagull’s staff recently participated in valuable training provided by the Hawai‘i ECE3 Project funded by the Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation. Staff who attended gained tools to make meaningful change to the program and to facilitate collaboration. Seagull’s program leaders are intentional in seeking professional development opportunities like this one that can be embedded in the program to ensure that our keiki and their families benefit from a quality program.
Q: Is there a project, program, or initiative you’re currently supporting that you would like to highlight?
A: The 2025 legislative session was pivotal for the early education sector in Hawai‘i. The Preschool Open Doors (POD) bill, part of the Lieutenant Governor’s Ready Keiki Initiative, has been transformational in terms of providing even greater access to Seagull’s early education program. The expansion of the POD subsidy, which includes children as young as two years and as old as five years of age, has guaranteed that a record number of families in Hawai‘i can access our all-day, year-round program at greatly reduced tuition rates. The new income threshold also caters to families who have traditionally been on the margins of qualifying for available subsidies.
Q: Where do you see the greatest opportunity to strengthen systems that serve Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki and their caregivers?
A: A sustainable early education system relies on a strong system of early educators. A well-compensated workforce that receives ongoing support for training and further education ensures that keiki will benefit from high-quality curriculum and instruction. Hawai‘i’s system is at risk of losing people to the profession for a lack of fair compensation and competitive wages in other industries. We must do what we can to resource what we value most: a healthy community as underscored by high-quality education, and the opportunity for keiki to go far in their education and careers.
Looking for Child Care or Preschool?
During the past legislative session, eligibility for the Preschool Open Doors program was expanded. If you know someone currently searching for child care or preschool options, please share these helpful resources:
- Learn more and apply for Preschool Open Doors: org/programs/families/preschool-open-doors-pod
- Check for available public preschool seats in your community: earlylearning.ehawaii.gov/wf/index.html
Update | July 2025
Commit to Keiki is closely tracking recent federal policy changes and taking steps to understand how they may affect Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki and their families. In addition to reviewing the legislation, we will continue engaging with our contacts in state government and related agencies to identify what may be affected and where support is needed. As more information becomes available, we will continue to share updates to keep our community informed. If you missed our latest federal update sent on July 14, you can read it in full below.
On July 4, the federal budget reconciliation bill was signed into law after clearing both the U.S. House and Senate. It is only the beginning of understanding what these sweeping changes will truly mean for Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki and their families.
At Commit to Keiki, we are carefully reviewing the legislation, working to understand how it will impact early childhood programs and services across our state. While many details are still unfolding, we do know the law includes significant funding reductions and policy changes that will directly affect young keiki and families, especially those who are low-income or who rely on Medicaid, SNAP, or community health centers for essential care and support.
Key takeaways so far:
- IDEA funding preserved: The bill does not directly cut federal funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which includes Part B services that support children ages 3-21 in public schools and Part C services that provide early intervention for infants and toddlers with developmental delays. This means these core education and early intervention programs remain intact for now.
- Child care programs untouched: Funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant, which helps subsidize child care costs for low-income families, and Head Start also remains unchanged. This offers some reassurance that these critical early learning supports will continue.
- Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP: The law does reduce funding for Medicaid and SNAP, which are vital programs for many Hawai‘i families. In rural counties such as Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i, and Maui, about half of our keiki rely on Medicaid (QUEST) for health care coverage, including mental health screenings and therapies, speech and physical therapy, and access to providers through federally qualified health centers. These cuts could limit essential care and place added strain on already stretched services.
- Reduced reproductive health funding: The bill also cuts funding for reproductive health, which may affect prenatal care and pregnancy prevention efforts. This is especially concerning in rural communities where families often rely on local health centers for comprehensive care.
- Child tax credit changes: While the legislation increases the child tax credit, early analysis suggests new restrictions could prevent many families who need the support most from accessing these benefits.
The Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA) also notes concerns about long-term stability for federal programs serving infants and toddlers, and flags the risk of new administrative requirements that could complicate how services are delivered.
Commit to Keiki is approaching this with care and a strong sense of responsibility. We will continue to monitor these developments closely and share updates as more information becomes available. Mahalo for standing with us and for your continued support of Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki and their families.
