Hawaii’s lagging economy, delayed school entry threaten vital early education

There is a disturbing trend: Hawaii’s keiki are increasingly at risk. The story, "More isle children receive free lunch," states the number of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch has risen to 53 percent, the highest in two decades (Oct. 10, Star-Advertiser). "Free lunch" isn’t something to cheer about; instead, it is an indicator of poverty that deeply affects our children and their school achievement.

In the article "Is ‘No Child Left Behind’ necessary?" former Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch cites family income as the leading predictor of successful standardized education test scores (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 3). Children from lower incomes are not less capable of success but they do lack the same early learning opportunities as their wealthier counterparts. These opportunities are critical as 90 percent of a child’s brain is developed by age 5. Connect this fact to the Aug. 17 story of Hawaii’s keiki growing up in families struggling below the poverty line ("Poverty drags kids down," Star-Advertiser) — and we see the increased risk of our children dropping out of school and earning lower wages as adults, perpetuating a cycle of limited opportunity.

The lagging economy has also resulted in a significant reduction of vital early childhood programs (e.g., Healthy Start, preschool subsidies) for children and families who need them the most, despite the outcry from early childhood advocates and families.These are real children and families who are suffering.

Compounding these cuts is a state law passed in 2010 that will delay school entry for about 5,500 late-born (August-December) children starting in school year 2013-2014. With the pending termination, families will have to pay for another year of early learning for their children, a potentially unaffordable cost, or provide care in a setting that does not provide a quality early-learning component. The end result will be an increased number of young children starting school not ready to succeed.

In 2010, only a little more than two out of five kindergarten students in low-income school areas had previously attended preschool. Going forward, we note that less than one out of two third-grade students in these same schools were reading at grade level — potentially falling further behind as reading becomes their primary vehicle to learning in the fourth-grade and beyond. These figures validate Ravitch’s belief that family income predicts student achievement unless strategies are targeted to increase access for low-income families.

We cannot put our children’s future at risk and watch another generation struggle with the achievement gap. In 1943, Hawaii had the moral courage — in the midst of World War II and a tight economy — to offer full-day kindergarten to all children who turned 5 years old in a calendar year. We can’t stop now and let these late-born 5,500 children go by the wayside in 2013.

Facing a continued economic challenge, the Legislature has tough decisions to make. However, cuts to these kinds of educational programs will cost Hawaii a lot more in the future. In fact, many well-respected economists and scientists throughout the country have concluded that investing in high-quality, early childhood programs will result in astounding economic and social benefits for our children, families, states and nation.

Hawaii must step forward and be the voice for our keiki who cannot speak for themselves. Thus, we have launched a public campaign, "Be My Voice! Hawaii," to elevate issues such as delayed school entry to our families and communities. They can then directly communicate their priorities to elected leaders. Unless we do something now, our children will continue to pay the price.

Elisabeth “Liz” Chun is executive director of the Good Beginnings Alliance, a statewide nonprofit organization supporting development of a comprehensive early childhood education and care system.