[EXTERNAL] News Release – Hawaiʻi Releases Children and Youth Fiscal Map

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON EARLY LEARNING

KEʻENA HOʻOKELE HOʻONAʻAUAO PAE KAMALIʻI O HAWAIʻI MOKUʻĀINA

YUUKO ARIKAWA-CROSS

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

HAWAIʻI RELEASES FIRST COMPREHENSIVE CHILDREN AND YOUTH FISCAL MAP

New Resource Provides Detailed Analysis of Public Investments Supporting Hawaiʻi's Children and Youth from Prenatal Years Through Young Adulthood

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 18, 2026

HONOLULU - The Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL), in partnership with the Early Childhood Action Strategy (ECAS) and the Children's Funding Project, has released the Hawaiʻi Children and Youth Fiscal Map, a first-of-its-kind resource providing a comprehensive analysis of public investments supporting children and youth across the state.

The fiscal map examines state, federal, and federal relief funding dedicated to children and youth ages 0-24 during fiscal years 2019 through 2023. The analysis provides a detailed look at how public investments support specific outcomes, services, age groups and populations throughout Hawaiʻi.

"The Fiscal Map gives policymakers, program leaders, advocates and community partners a clearer picture of how public resources are being invested in Hawaiʻi's children and youth," said EOEL Director Yuuko Arikawa-Cross. "This data will help inform decision-making, identify opportunities for alignment and support strategic investments that improve outcomes for children and families."

In 2024, EOEL and ECAS joined the Children's Funding Project's multistate Child and Youth Fiscal Mapping Cohort to undertake the research and development of Hawaiʻi's fiscal map. The effort is designed to strengthen understanding of funding streams that support children and youth and to promote more informed policymaking and program development.

A fiscal map is a research tool that analyzes public funding dedicated to children and youth, helping communities understand how investments are distributed across programs, services, populations, and outcomes. The Hawaiʻi Children and Youth Fiscal Map provides a foundation for data-informed discussions about the future of statewide investments in children and families.

A unique feature of Hawaiʻi's fiscal map is a dedicated prenatal-to-age-five analysis, allowing for more focused conversations about investments in maternal health, early childhood development and family support services during the critical early years.

As a living resource, the fiscal map will continue to evolve. Partners plan to update the analysis through 2026 and host a series of Fiscal Map Talk Story sessions to engage stakeholders in conversations about what the data reveals and how it can be used to inform policy, financing and program development. Additional briefs and resources will also be developed to support decision-makers and community partners.

To learn more and access the Hawaiʻi Children and Youth Fiscal Map, visit https://hawaiiactionstrategy.org/hawaii-children-and-youth-fiscal-map

About the Executive Office on Early Learning

The Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) is dedicated to building a strong foundation for Hawaiʻi's children from birth through age five by leading the state's early learning system and overseeing the EOEL Public Pre-K Program.

About Early Childhood Action Strategy

The Early Childhood Action Strategy (ECAS) is a collaborative effort that brings together public and private partners to improve outcomes for Hawaiʻi's young children and their families through coordinated planning and action.

About the Children's Funding Project

The Children's Funding Project helps communities, states and Native nations expand equitable opportunities for children and youth through strategic public financing and funding solutions.

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