SFA Advances Ready Keiki Initiative
with Pre-K Classrooms
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An additional 50 public pre-kindergarten classrooms across our state will be ready to give more than 2,700 children access to affordable early learning opportunities over the next two years. Half of these classrooms will be operational by August, in time to serve about 1,000 keiki at the start of the new school year. Each classroom will serve up to 20 students ages 3 and 4.
Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke announced these major milestones at a news conference held on June 17, at Kalihi Elementary School, one of the schools that will have a new preschool ready for the new school 2025-26 school year.
From left, Heidi Armstrong, Department of Education Deputy Superintendent of Academics; Yuuko Arikawa-Cross, Executive Office on Early Learning Director; Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke; Riki Fujitani, Hawai‘i School Facilities Authority Executive Director; Jan Iwase, SFA Board Chair; Doug Cullison, SFA Program Manager for Preschools; and John Hamilton, Principal of Kalihi Elementary School.
Lt. Governor Luke acknowledged the important role of the Hawai‘i School Facilities Authority (SFA), the Executive Office on Early Learning’s (EOEL), the Hawai‘i Department of Education (DOE), and other partners of the Ready Keiki initiative. The Lieutenant Governor’s plan is to provide universal access to pre-kindergarten for all Hawaiʻi families by 2032.
SFA, which is tasked by the Hawai‘i State Legislature to build and renovate schools using innovative, out-of-the-box methods to save taxpayer money and accelerate development, was able to complete each classroom renovation at a third of the estimated cost, averaging between $291,000 and $320,000, well below the projected $1 million per site.
| | | | John Hamilton, principal of Kalihi Elementary School | | Yuuko Arikawa-Cross, director, Executive Office on Early Learning | | |
Preschool Classroom Expansion Highlights
- 21 of the 25 new classrooms will open at Title I schools.
- Two Hawaiian language public pre-K classrooms will open at Hāna High & Elementary on Maui and Hauʻula Elementary on Oʻahu.
- Kapolei will welcome its first public preschool classroom at Barbers Point Elementary.
- Seven sites— Hāhaʻione, Hāna, Kaʻala, Kāhala, Keaʻau, Linapuni, and Solomon — will add additional classrooms due to continued interest from families.
- With the addition of Kaumualiʻi Elementary, more than half of Kauaʻi’s elementary campuses will now host a public pre-K classroom.
| | New Law Clarifies SFA’s Role | | |
Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke signed a number bills into law on June 24 to advance the state’s Ready Keiki plan, designed to provide universal access to early learning by 2032. One of the bills she signed into law (Act 204) is House Bill 329, which clarifies the responsibilities of the Hawai‘i School Facilities Authority (SFA).
The new law clarifies that SFA is responsible for projects for facilities for prekindergarten, preschool, child care, and early learning programs; workforce housing; and any public school development, planning, and construction assigned by the Legislature, Governor, or Board of Education.
Act 204 also allows SFA to use the Department of Education for certain recruitment and hiring responsibilities and to partner with public and private development agencies to develop prekindergarten, preschool, child care, and early learning program facilities.
Photo above: Jan Iwase, SFA Board Chair, third from left, and Cheri Nakamura, SFA’s program and policy manager, fifth from left, participated in the bill signing ceremony held in Lt. Governor Luke’s office.
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The Hawai‘i School Facilities Authority (SFA) has unveiled a new logo to reflect its ongoing commitment to tackle the tough challenges and untangle complexity to support to build school facilities statewide.
“We recognize that our mission is much more than building infrastructure,” said Riki Fujitani, SFA’s executive director. “We are building a future that honors our keiki and our teachers, and supports our state. This drives our commitment to be innovative and create spaces that inspire learning and bring out the best in all of us, and be accountable to the public we serve.”
The logo is composed of four distinct yet interconnected quadrants that together form a single, unified block. Like the steady stones of a kahua—a foundation—each quadrant represents an essential element of the groundwork upon which SFA builds for the future. In Hawaiian culture, when the kahua is strong, what is built upon it will endure.
The logo was designed by Honolulu designer Kyle Hamane of HiBrand Consulting, with the accompanying explanation written by Brad Shin of Wasiswas.
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In Hawaiian, a kahua refers to the physical groundwork laid before constructing a home or hale. But culturally, it carries a deeper significance: a solid kahua reflects careful preparation, clear intention, and respect for what will stand upon it. Whether in building, education, or community, a strong kahua ensures that what follows is stable, resilient, and enduring.
- The upper left quadrant resembles an open doorway or the entrance to a school, symbolizing access, opportunity, and SFA’s role in opening pathways to learning for all.
- The lower left quadrant evokes Hawai‘i’s mountains and sky. This quadrant speaks to place-based identity—highlighting the importance of designing educational spaces that honor both land and culture.
- The upper right quadrant represents the State Capitol, recognizing the role of government as a source of structure, support, and long-term vision. The deep blue conveys trust and the guiding presence of public leadership.
- The lower right quadrant conveys the constant movement of the ocean, representing adaptability, resilience, and Hawai‘i’s coastal identity.
- At the center of it all sits a yellow sun—a symbol of clarity, energy, and purpose. Positioned between the Capitol and the ocean, it can also be the head of a human figure, reinforcing that people—students, educators, and families—are always at the heart of SFA’s work.
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