Senators hear pleas for child education aid

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i's U.S. senators heard testimony yesterday from Hawaiian community leaders on why continued federal financing is needed for early childhood education for Hawai'i's keiki, particularly Native Hawaiians.

About 40 people attended a hearing at the Disabled American Veterans Center here that was organized by U.S. Sen. Daniel

Inouye, who was trying to gather testimony for budget hearings in Congress this summer.

Hamilton McCubbin, CEO of Kamehameha Schools, said Hawaiian children represent a disproportionately large at-risk segment of the population. Of an estimated 10,978 Hawai'i children without health insurance coverage, 28 percent are Hawaiian, McCubbin said.

Kalau'ihilani Robins, assistant director at Punana Leo O Kawaiaha'o, a Hawaiian immersion preschool, said expanded federal financing would help programs accept more applicants.

"Not until I became a (school) employee did I realize how lucky my family was to have been chosen to be part of the program," Robins said. "This year, we received 45 applications but because of lack of funds ... we were only able to accept nine families."