Alani Children’s Center
“Play is the highest form of research”
Albert Einstein
Alani Children’s Center provides early childhood care and education for children of the campus community and also serves as a laboratory for the early childhood teacher training programs, service learning, and related programs in the University of Hawai‘i (UH) system. The program is operated in collaboration with the Early Childhood Education department at Honolulu Community College. As a laboratory site for training early childhood teachers, the program is informed by research-based, best practices and guided by instructional faculty with expertise and experience in high-quality early childhood pedagogy and programming. The center is staffed by mentor teachers who work closely with faculty to provide quality education and care to the children and families of the center.
Location
The Center is located on 18th Avenue, north of the Hawai‘i Film Studio, besides parking lot D on the Kapiʻolani Community College (Kapiʻolani CC) campus.
Licensing & Accreditation
The Center is licensed by the state Department of Human Services. Our program is also accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, the credentialing body of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Accreditation means that our program is of high quality and meets national standards of excellence in program practices, teacher qualifications, and child health and safety.
Enrollment Information
Priority enrollment consideration is given to children whose parents or guardians are Kapi‘olani CC students or employees. The center provides care and education to children 2.6-5 years old. The priority preference lists is as follows:
- Continuing students
- Students who are single parents;
- Students enrolled in 9 or more credits; then
- Full-time employees.
Any remaining spaces are allocated to children of other UH system students and employees, and then to the general community. Spaces are allocated based on priority and the number of openings available in each age group and gender. We are currently operating only one classroom, so space for those outside of the Kapiʻolani CC community is extremely limited.
Children from all ethnic, racial, religious, and national backgrounds are welcome. Children with disabilities are also welcome.
Application & Deadlines
Applications are available online: Alani Children Center Application (pdf). Email the completed application to caroline.soga@hawaii.edu or mail it to:
Alani Children’s Center
Kapi‘olani Community College
4303 Diamond Head Road
Honolulu, HI 96816-4421
Fall Enrollment – parents are notified in late March or the beginning of April. Subsequent spaces are filled as they open in accordance to applicant’s priority status.
Spring Enrollment – parents are notified mid to late December.
Children not selected due to a lack of openings will be placed on a waitlist. All families will be notified of their status within a reasonable length of time.
Tuition Rates
A non-refundable, annual comprehensive fee of $250 is due upon receipt of the acceptance letter. The fee confirms your child’s space at the Center and covers classroom supplies, equipment, excursions, and supplies for family events.
Tuition is $3600 a semester, and can be paid in full or in four installments of $900. Families sign a payment agreement each semester that specifies the amount of tuition and a payment schedule. Families are obligated to pay the full amount as shown in the payment agreement whether or not the child attends every day. Tuition includes morning and afternoon snacks.
Childcare Tuition Assistance
The Kekaulike Information and Service Center, Financial Aid section will determine whether you qualify for additional assistance for childcare in your financial aid package. For more information, view our Financial Aid page.
In addition to financial aid, assistance may be obtained through the following childcare tuition assistance programs:
- Child Care Connection
(808) 566-2600 or (808) 356-5575 - Preschool Open Doors Program
(808) 791-2130 - Pauahi Keiki Scholars
(808) 534-8080
Make an Impact
Please consider supporting Alani Children’s Center by Making a Gift online via the UH Foundation to help ensure our continued growth. Your contribution will have a direct impact on our keiki. By donating via the UH foundation, the Alani faculty will best be able to allocate resources to the areas that need the most support and directly impact the children. There are multiple ways to donate: one-time gifts, recurring/annual donations, and/or planned gifts such as estate gifts, real estate, and securities. Through the generosity of our friends and alumni, we are able to enhance and build our educational program and facilities.
USDA Child Care Program Food Program
Meals will be provided at Alani Children’s Center. Please review USDA Child Care Food Program Non-Pricing Public Release Information.
Income Eligibility Guidelines for Free and Reduced-Price Meals 2024-2025 (XLS)
USDA child care food program non-pricing public release information
Today, UH-Honolulu Community College-Keiki Hau‘oli, Alani, and Leeward Community College Children’s Centers announced its sponsorship of the USDA Child Care Food Program. Meals will be made available to enrolled children/clients at no separate charge without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Parents’/clients’ income determines the amount of money USDA will reimburse us to provide meals to enrolled children/clients. The income eligibility guidelines listed below are used to determine our reimbursement from USDA. Children/clients from households whose annual income is at or below these levels are eligible to be counted for free or reduced-price meal reimbursements.
(Annual Income)
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice or TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.
The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted by Mail, Fax or Email to USDA:
By Mail
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
By Fax
(202) 690-7442
By Email
Email Us