Access to affordable and high-quality early child care and education is vital to the well-being of children, families, and the community. Benefits associated with high-quality early child care and education include increased achievement test scores, high school graduation, college enrollment, and reduced risk factors, such as the negative impacts of poverty and delinquency.

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Currently, the challenges Hawaiʻi families face in accessing childcare services consist of costs, lack of available seats, physical access (e.g., distance), and lack of quality programs. To address some of these barriers, Hawaiʻi state legislators, local and state agencies, and community-based non-private and private programs have joined forces to promote and improve the early learning and pre-kindergarten movement.