“Maui’s early chidlhood workforce shortage is at a critical point and it’s only getting worse. Just recently, Maui Economic Opportunity announced the closure of three of its Head Start classrooms due to staffing and teacher shortages, leaving 60 more families without access to child care and early education.”

“Statewide, Hawai’i can only serve about 25 percent of keiki ranging from birth to five years old in child care and preschool, and nearly 3,000 childcare spaces have been lost since the start of the pandemic.”