Advancing the Profession

Understanding state and local issues and initiatives affecting our profession so you can make informed choices.

HIAEYC is the leading professional organization for early childhood service providers. Our members are actively working with various groups and organizations to help improve the lives of our keiki, their families, and the professionals that support the field. Individually, we have been strong advocates for change. Joined together, we become a power that cannot be ignored. The links below will take you to discussion pages on major issues, current initiatives, and new programs being developed. We will try to break down complex systems for you, so that you can understand not just what was done, but the current thinking from experts on what is trying to be accomplished, and what the pitfalls may be. We will then show you where you can go for more information and the types of things you could do to make a positive change.

---

Task Force

The Early Childhood Educator Excellence and Equity project (ECE3), currently housed at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Education, is utilizing an assets-based, systems integration, and multi-partner
approach to dismantle structural barriers and gaps to ECE workforce preparation and compensation/financing that have been in place for decades. With the coronavirus pandemic requiring rethinking of teaching
and learning at every level, it has become even more critical to address the limited access to high-quality early learning experiences for all young children and families in Hawai‘i.

The projects three main initiatives include recruitment and retention of diverse ECE students, Early Childhood Educator Pathways and programs, and job-embedded professional learning. A taskforce has been formed to look at these initiatives and recommend action for moving forward. Task force members include professionals from across the state. Click here for a list of members. Click on the button below to learn more about ECE3.