The Office of the Governor announced it has submitted its application for the “Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge” grant competition, a new federal funding opportunity by the Obama Administration. The state applied for nearly $50 million over a four year period.
Officials say that is the cap based on the state’s share of the national population of children from birth to five-years-old from low-income families.
The Governor’s Early Childhood Coordinator Terry Lock led the effort in working on a plan for Early Childhood Education in Hawaii.
She was appointed on July 11, 2011 and immediately notified the federal government of Hawai'i’s intent to seek the Early Learning Challenge grant.
“We worked hard. Win or lose, we have a plan,” said Ms. Lock. “This plan allows for private-public partnerships and builds on the foundation that is already in motion. It speaks specifically for high quality early childhood programs for kids, birth to age five, with high needs.”
Awardees will be notified at the end of this year.
