that every child in Hawaii deserves a bright and healthy future. Federally funded Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote school readiness of children from lowincome families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Our Early Head Start and Head Start early learning programs help pave the way for keiki to succeed in school and life.
Program Mission
To assist families to be the best they can be by providing a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment where both parents and children can continue to grow.
Financial Audit
Parents And Children Together’s (PACT) most recent audit covered the fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025). The audit expressed an unqualified opinion with no findings.
HHS Monitoring Review
Parents And Children Together’s last federal monitoring review was from November 14, 2022 to November 18, 2022, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) conducted a Focus Area Two (FA2) monitoring review of PACT Early Head Start and Head Start programs. Based on the information gathered during this review, it was determined that PACT met the requirements of all applicable Head Start Program Performance Standards, laws, regulations, and policy requirements.
“What makes our program so special is that we build a sense of community, a
sense of place, a sense of ohana within the classroom.”
Keala
Rowland Assistant Program Director Hawaii Island Early Head Start / Head Start
HEAD START
Head Start provides center-based services for children ages three to five and their parents. Emphasis is placed on school readiness with the goal of preparing children to enter kindergarten ready to learn. In addition to early education, the program offers comprehensive support, including health screenings, family engagement opportunities, and access to community resources to promote overall child and family well-being.
2024-2025 PROGRAM INFORMATION
ENROLLMENT
395
97%
465
414 Funded Enrollment
Average Monthly Enrollment
ELIGIBILITY
Children Served
Families
MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICES
Center-Based Services are located on Oahu and Hawaii Island (see map on page 15). CHILDREN WITH
“
As a first-time parent, I was nervous about starting my child in school, but the staff made me feel comfortable and supported right away.”
— Early Head Start / Head Start Parent
“ I appreciate this program for providing a safe and supportive place for my kids to learn while I’m able to work.”
— Early Head Start / Head Start Parent
EARLY HEAD START
Early Head Start provides center-based services for infants and toddlers and home-based services to prenatal parents and parents with infants and toddlers. Emphasis is placed on educating parents on child development, the importance of parent-child interaction, and the social-emotional development of their children. Through individualized support and access to community resources, the program helps families build a strong foundation for their child’s growth, health, and future learning success.
Center-Based, Home-Based, and Family Child Care Home Services Services are located on Oahu and Hawaii Island.
2024–2025 PROGRAM YEAR
PARENT, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
• Policy Council Meetings
• Family Engagement Network (FEN/Parent Committee Meetings)
• Creative Curriculum Learning Games and Mighty Minutes
• Baby Talk home visiting curriculum
• Clothing/Toy/ Book exchange and Lending Library
• Pahoa Christmas Parade
• Kahuku Parade
• Children and Youth Day at the State Capitol
• SASCIE Program Self-Assessment
• Child Care Subsidies Unit
• POD: Preschool Open Door
• University of Hawai‘i: Keiki Smiles Dental Screenings
• PACT Kuhio Park Terrace Community Events
• Aloha and Hawaii Diaper Bank Distribution
• Language Environment Analysis (LENA) Grow & LENA Home
• Kalihi Connection Coalition
• Sequenced Transition to Education into the Public Schools (STEPS) Meetings
• Kalihi Connection Coalition
• Department of Education Sponsored events: STEMS (Science Exploration), play day, Read to Me, Always Dream
• In Peace: Council for Native Hawaiians Recruitment
• Parent Powered
• Keiki Spring Fest (Waianae)
• Preschool Here I Come Family Event (Waianae/ Pahoa/ Hilo)
• Healthy Eating Stay Active
• Malama Na Keiki (Holualoa)
• Family Support Hawaii Early Head Start Family Literacy/Fatherhood Engagement Event
• Celebrating Ohana Festival (Kona)
• SummerFun Slide (Pahoa) Neighborhood Place of Puna
Parent Workshops/Training
• General Health Trainings:
- Pedestrian Safety and Car Seat Safety
- Safe Sleep/Routines
- Fire Safety/Environmental Safety
- Child’s Nutritional Status/Healthy Eating
- Hand Washing
- Financial Planning/Physical Fitness
- Transition/Oral Health
- Hearing, Vision and Developmental Screenings
- Substance Abuse/Consequences of tobacco/ exposure to lead
- Emergency First Aid & Environmental Hazards
• Story time at Hilo Public Library
• Howoiwai Networking Event by Office of Housing and Community Development (Hawaii County)
• Puakalehua ʻOhana Festival (Waikoloa)
• A Reading Wonderland (Family Support Hawaii EHS event)
• Kaukau4Keiki Food Distribution (Vibrant HI/Pahoa)
• Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
• Parent newsletters and publications
- Hawaii Parent
- Parent Line Newsletter
• Community Volunteer/partners speakers at PCM/Socializations:
- Fire and Police Department
- TAP 808: Impact of Media, Screen Time, Family Healthy Relationships
- WIC/ SNAP
- Medical-Legal Community Partnership of Hawaii
- Family Hui
- Preschool Open Doors
• Well Baby Checks and Immunizations
• Family Life Practice & PEER trainings:
- PEER workshops (10 series)
- Reducing screen time
- Family routines
- Executive Function
2024–2025 PROGRAM YEAR
EFFORTS TO PREPARE CHILDREN FOR PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN
PACT Early Head Start / Head Start curriculum aligns with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (HSELOF, 2015), which consists of five broad areas of early learning, referred to as central domains. These domains reflect research-based expectations for learning and development. The HSELOF emphasizes the key skills, behaviors, and knowledge that the program must foster in children ages birth to 5 to help them be successful in school and life.
APPROACHES TO LEARNING
INFANT/ TODDLER DOMAINS Approaches to Learning
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Social and Emotional Development
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY COGNITION
PRESCHOOLER DOMAINS Approaches to Learning
Social and Emotional Development
Language and Communication Cognition
Language and Communication Mathematics Development
PERCEPTUAL, MOTOR, AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development
Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development Literacy Scientific Reasoning
PACT utilizes the following curriculum and tools in home-based and center-based settings:
Curriculum & Supporting Materials
• Creative Curriculum (Pre-School and Infants, Toddlers and Twos)
• Creative Curriculum Learning Games (home learning activities)
• Ready to Shine Curriculum (Pre-School)
• Ready to Shine Pause Engage Encourage Reflect (PEER) Cards
• InJoy Health Education (Prenatal curriculum)
• Baby Talk Family Engagement Model (Home Visiting Curriculum)
• Second Step Early Learning Curriculum
• Cavity Free Kids – Oral Health Education for Young Children
CENTRAL DOMAINS
Social-Emotional Resources/Tools
• The Pyramid Model Implementation
- National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) Resources Library and Backpack Connections Newsletters
- Pyramid Model Big 5 Essential Practices
- Unpacking the Pyramid Model (books for each classroom)
- Developed and implemented formalized Behavior Support Process including supporting staff training and implementing “Data Studies” for classrooms reporting high volume of Behavior Incident Reports
- Program-Wide Expectations Social Stories (offered in 7 languages)
EFFORTS TO PREPARE CHILDREN FOR PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN (CONTINUED)
In addition, PACT conducts the following activities to ensure that children and families are prepared for a successful transition from Early Head Start to Head Start and from Head Start to Kindergarten:
• Hawaii Early Learning and Development Standards (HELDS)
• Alignment crosswalk between the Hawaii Common Core Standards, Early Learning Outcomes Framework, Teaching Strategies, and kindergarten entry assessments
• National Center for Quality Teaching and Learning (NCQTL) In-Service Suites
• Participation in Kindergarten Transition Plans collaboration meetings with DOE partners
• Participation in Sequenced Transition to Education into the Public Schools (STEPS) meetings/activities
• Individualized Transition Plans - family goals/ child goals
• Back to School Distribution (school supplies for families)
• Family Lending Library for Transitioning to Kindergarten
• Early Head Start to Head Start classroom transition visits
• Kindergarten classroom visits
• Provide families with end-of-year transition activities introduced with accompanying “Getting Ready for Kindergarten” letters in home languages
• Kindergarten Summer Start Transition Program
Early Head Start Center
Head Start Center
EHS Family Child Care Home
EHS Partnership with Kama‘aina Kids
* Extended day services available at low or no cost. Parents must be working or attending school full- time and must apply for state child care subsidies.
- EHS Home Base Island Wide
HAWAII ISLAND
Early Head Start Center
Head Start Center
* Extended day services available at low or no cost. Parents must be working or attending school full- time and must apply for state child care subsidies.
