Belief in the importance of school readiness has mobilized a broad coalition of concerned stakeholders to become organized and act. As a result, a number of programs, policies, and materials have been developed to improve the readiness of children and of schools. The purpose of this article is to examine the context in which these efforts are taking place. It will explore Hawai'i's promising three-year-old School Readiness Initiative, seeking to understand the expected outcomes and benefits, as well as the personal and societal cost if students continue to enter school unprepared. First, the article will examine the evolution of Hawai'i's School Readiness Initiative, from its initial development to its being piloted in select communities. Next, it will describe anticipated developments as the effort slowly spreads statewide. Considerable volunteer time and support from a wide variety of public and private funding sources have contributed to the initiative's success. The partnership and the activities it initiated were supported by an intermediary organization, the Good Beginnings Alliance, which effectively directs and targets the coalition's efforts.