Legislature considers two-tiered kindergarten

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer

Starting in 2006, children who turn 5 after Aug. 1 might have to wait another year to start kindergarten.

Lincoln Elementary School kindergartner Il Kun Kim, 6, flips through a book on ocean life so he can finish coloring a sea life picture. Joyce Yamashita's pupils were doing activities based on their recent field trip to Sea Life Park. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

The current version of Senate Bill 17 leaves it up to the Department of Education to come up with a separate program to meet the needs of the gap group, but yesterday Senate Education Committee Chairman Norman Sakamoto introduced a draft proposal that would establish two-tiered kindergartens in the public schools or through public-private partnerships. This proposal would address concerns from parents who would otherwise have to pay for an extra year of preschool or daycare.

"Studies have shown that the later-borns have a harder time, especially boys," Sakamoto said. "In addition, most of the Mainland, as well as most of the private schools here, have already changed the kindergarten entry-date requirements."

Under Sakamoto's plan, children who turn 5 after Aug. 1 would enter junior kindergarten, while those who turn 5 on Aug. 1 or before would go to kindergarten, but there would be some flexibility to move the children into whichever level is most appropriate.

A legislative conference committee was scheduled to take up the bill again today, and Sakamoto and Rep. Roy Takumi, chairman of the House Education Committee, were optimistic it would pass by the Friday deadline.

Four- and 5-year-old preschoolers in Ezra Teodoro's class at the Early Education Center mix paints and do fingerpainting. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

"I'm very unhappy about it," said Lisa Tilton, whose 3-year-old daughter and infant son were both born in September. "It's not going to benefit us."

But Gayle Kojiro, whose son, Rayce, was born in December, plans to hold him back regardless of whether the state changes the date. Otherwise, "He's going to be the smallest and the least mature. He's going to be almost a year younger than other kids, so he's always going to be behind," she said.

DOE spokesman Greg Knudsen said the department generally supports an earlier cut-off, but would prefer the Board of Education to set the cut-off date, rather than the Legislature.

Ezra Teodoro's preschoolers, ages 4 and 5, at the Early Education Center take advantage of the play areas that are available. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

A two-tiered kindergarten program would be easier for the DOE to implement than an abrupt change that would have an effect for 13 years, Knudsen said. If the late-borns were kept out of school, the first class would probably be about 4,000 less than the average class size — which could mean laying off and hiring back 200 teachers each year as the children move through the system.

Chuck Larson, executive director of Seagull Schools, said preschools may not be able to accommodate an extra 4,000 students.

All four Seagull School locations have wait lists, which is not unusual for preschools in Hawai'i, Larson said. "I can't even recommend anywhere else for anyone to apply," he said. Two more Seagull sites are due to open next year in 'Ewa Beach and Ko Olina, and Larson expects them to open with wait lists.

"There needs to be something to increase the infrastructure," he said.

A year's tuition at Seagull Schools runs a little under $6,000, and that's a little below average, Larson said.

Even if junior kindergarten takes away the tuition issue, Tilton expects her daughter, Kahuaka'ihele, who turns 4 this September, to be ready for kindergarten next year.

Tilton thinks her daughter, who has been in preschool since she was 2, and other children who have been in programs preparing them for kindergarten, should be allowed to start school while they are still 4. "As long as they've gone through some kind of accredited preschool environment, they are ready for kindergarten," she said.

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.