HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Teachers Association is taking a stand against a proposed constitutional amendment on preschool education.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the union opposes the measure that will ask voters whether the state can fund partnerships with private preschools.
Hawaii is the only state that prohibits public funds from benefiting private educational institutions and is one of 10 states without state-funded universal preschool.
The Good Beginnings Alliance-Children’s Action Network is urging support for the ballot measure. The group says it would make preschool more widely available for low-income families.
The teachers association says preschool programs should be free and available to all children at public schools.
The union says using state funds outside the public school system will take money from public schools and benefit private preschools.