Delays plague preschool program for needy children

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer

Ten of 13 preschools intended to benefit the state's low-income children sit un-used months after they were expected to open under a public-private partnership that so far has cost the state more than $2.5 million.

All 13 were supposed to open last fall, but only three have. Two of those opened in the past three weeks.

State officials attributed the delay to rigorous building inspection procedures required of early-education facilities that took longer than expected and required additional construction in some cases.

"We hoped they could open earlier," said Garry Kemp, acting administrator for the Benefit, Employment and Support Services division of the state Department of Human Services, which heads the Pre-Plus program. "But in reality, these things are coming online as you would expect. It's a little slower than what people had hoped for, but they'll get done. We're devoted to doing that."

The 10 preschools that haven't opened yet are expected to be up and running by May, Kemp said.

But now a second round of 13 more preschools that had been intended to open this fall has been put on hold. In all, the delays could cost hundreds of children from needy families a chance to get the early education considered vital to success.

Some parents were able to get aid elsewhere and enroll their children in other private preschools. Many have little choice but to wait; most Pre-Plus sites already have waiting lists.

In 2001, legislators provided $5 million to build 26 Pre-Plus preschool facilities over two years. The plan was to use $2.5 million each year to build 13 preschools at different sites, selected in communities with needy children and without a sufficient number of preschools.

The buildings, which cost about $200,000 each, are temporary, modular classrooms, similar to portables and trailers.

Additional work that had to be performed because of issues found during the inspections of the first 13 preschool facilities — from repairing a sewer line at one site to building a fence around another — cost more than the state had expected. That meant some money reserved for the second phase of construction had to be used, forcing a delay in the second round of school openings as officials reassess how many the state can afford.

"It's very frustrating," said Senate Education Committee Chairman Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake). "It took so long ... but it will certainly be well worth the effort if we can provide more preschools ... my hope would be that when the next school year starts, the programs that are currently struggling to get their doors open will get them open."

The delay has been a setback for the private childcare providers that had expected to start their programs last year.

"They were counting on them being done early," Kemp said. "They're not happy about that."

The state provides the Pre-Plus buildings rent-free; licensed and accredited private childcare providers operate the preschools. The Honolulu Community Action Program's Head Start will run eight of the 13 preschools. Kama'aina Kids and Parents and Children Together will run three sites.

The first site, at Wahiawa Elementary School, opened in November. The second site, at Ka'ala Elementary School, opened in mid-March; Salt Lake Elementary School's program started last Monday. All three are run by Head Start.

Roland Gella, director of Head Start programs on O'ahu, said the Salt Lake preschool opened late because of the difficulty in obtaining a state license.

The preschool at Salt Lake Elementary School was ready last summer, but its site coordinator was reassigned to another project, said principal Duwayne Abe. The air-conditioned modular classroom sat empty for seven months until it opened last week.

The program started with 17 children, most of whom qualify for free and reduced-price lunch and receive free tuition.

Abe realizes the benefits of having a preschool on campus.

"Truthfully, we could have used the space," Abe said. "But the majority of our students don't go to preschool before kindergarten, and they don't do as well as the others. ... Some of them tend to have difficulties socially."

The Pre-Plus program at Ka'ala Elementary opened in March with 16 students, offering the opportunity for the community's needy children to attend preschool and make the transition to kindergarten easier. About 70 percent of Ka'ala's 500 students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Studies show that children who have had a quality preschool experience have better language and math skills, and are less likely to drop out of school, repeat grades or require special education.

A national report released last year showed great disparity in early childhood education in Hawai'i.

More than 70 percent of children in high-income areas arrive in kindergarten with some preschool experience, but only about 30 percent of kindergartners in low-income areas have attended preschool, according to Education Week's "Quality Counts" survey.

Though families of all income levels can apply to Pre-Plus schools, preference is given to 4-year-olds whose families are at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Index, which is $18,100 for a family of four. Most preschools charge between $400 and $500 a month.

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8103.

Correction: Roland Gella, director of Head Start programs on O'ahu, said his organization will run eight of 13 Pre-Plus preschools under a public-private partnership with the state. He also said the Salt Lake preschool opened late because of the difficulty in obtaining a state license. A previous version of this story contained other information.