A new national report on the quality of preschool services underscores that Hawai'i, like much of the nation, still has much work to do in the area of early childhood education.

Indeed, we recognize the need and have adopted a number of programs and initiatives designed to meet that need. But we are still far short of the goal of universal preschool education for our keiki.

As reported by Education Writer Beverly Creamer, Hawai'i ranks about average in its efforts to extend a preschool opportunity to every child who needs it, particularly children from low- and moderate-income families.

The survey might not capture the true picture here since it was conducted prior to recent initiatives, such as a new $5 million early-childhood-education effort pushed by Gov. Linda Lingle.

State lawmakers have also pressed pilot programs aimed at extending preschool to families who need it most.

Still, the report should prompt policymakers to recognize the need to do more.

Universal preschool, while the ideal goal, will be very expensive, at least in the short term.

The payoff comes years down the road when children offered a solid start can do better in school — and better in life. And that means we will have avoided many of the social costs associated with poor educational performance and a lack of overall success in the workforce and beyond.

The state has begun wisely to work on the area where help is needed most: among low- and moderate-income families who cannot afford pricey private preschools and who are a little too affluent to qualify for subsidized programs such as Head Start.

This report should add fuel to what should be an obvious conclusion: Offering quality preschool opportunities to all children who need them is a smart investment that will more than pay for itself over time.