Posted on: Sunday, August 1, 2004

State preschool plan finally being realized

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer

Meavale Umu had hoped her son, Eric-Etualue Auelua, could attend Pre-Plus preschool in 'Aiea upon its scheduled opening in fall 2002.

Today, Eric-Etuale is 6 and in the first grade at 'Aiea Elementary School. The Pre-Plus classroom building, completed on the 'Aiea Elementary campus in August 2002, still sits unused.

Nearly two years after 13 Pre-Plus sites were scheduled to start offering early education to low-income families, five of them— including 'Aiea — remain empty.

State officials say four of those sites — at 'Aiea, Jefferson, Fern and Waipahu elementary schools — will open in September, and the other, at Waiau Elementary, will open by the end of the year.

More sites are planned, and it is hoped that problems plaguing the program, from fire code

violations to lack of telephone lines and access roads, can be prevented.

Officials say there was no working blueprint for Pre-Plus.

"It's been a learning process," said Russ Saito, state comptroller. "I think now we know things in addition to construction that will make subsequent installations go a lot better."

The Pre-Plus program is a public-private partnership launched in spring 2001 in which the state provides buildings rent-free on school grounds for licensed, accredited private providers who bid to run the preschools.

The state has spent more than $3 million on the program so far. Its goal was to have 13 sites operating statewide by fall 2002.

The Pre-Plus school at Wahiawa Elementary opened in November 2002. Opening the rest has been a struggle.

Seven more, including two on the Big Island and one on Maui, opened last year.

But none has faced more difficulties than 'Aiea.

The problems began in October 2002, when a Navy-owned fire hydrant on Kaimakani Street across from 'Aiea Elementary's parking lot was found to be dry. The Navy volunteered to get it working again, but officials soon learned it would take more to resolve the issue.

The nonworking hydrant was not a safety issue for the school, which can draw water from another hydrant. But the Department of Human Services, which oversees the Pre-Plus program, mandates a working hydrant within a prescribed distance from a preschool building.

It took until March 2004 for the Navy, city and state to reach an agreement allowing the Navy to repair the hydrant and turn the water back on. Officials projected a July startup for Pre-Plus in 'Aiea.

The opening suffered another setback last month because a leak in the feeder line affected the hydrant's water pressure.

Officials decided last week to move the hydrant to the 'Aiea Elementary side of the roadway to bypass the damaged main, Saito said. The Navy will do the work, and the state will pay whatever the Navy cannot cover.

"The Navy's been good about this, and very cooperative," Saito noted.

Scott Nakasone, a program specialist with the Employment and Child Care office of the Benefit, Employment and Support Services division of the state Human Services Department, expects the work to be completed by mid-August. Barring any building or fire inspection setbacks in licensing, the Pre-Plus school should open sometime in September, he said.

That's good news for Halawa housing residents such as Meavale Umu, who make up 85 percent of 'Aiea Elementary's enrollment. Families of all income levels can apply to Pre-Plus schools, but preference is given to 4-year-olds from low-income families.

Few at Halawa can afford preschool tuition.

Studies show that early childhood education has a bearing on future academic success. In addition to better language and math skills, children who have had a quality preschool experience are less likely to drop out, repeat grades or require special education.

Umu said her son suffered by not having Pre-Plus. "It was difficult for him, because he had to make a lot of adjustments in kindergarten," Umu said.

Still, a September opening of the 'Aiea Pre-Plus site would still benefit her family, she said. Her daughter, Faliutumao Auelua, will be 3 years old on Aug. 28.

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.