One of the most important goals of the state’s early learning programs, in addition to setting our children up for a healthy and successful learning start, is to ensure that parents and families are supported so they can encourage and guide their child’s learning and development.

The goal of the Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) is to develop a comprehensive network of programs and services to support the early years of a child’s development, both in and out of the classroom.

EOEL is concerned about not only a child’s ability to learn, but also with his/her health and development. How can a child focus on learning if he or she is unwell or hurting?

Cathy Fukunaga’s commentary ("Trained parents have a better effect on children than universal preschool," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 27) highlighted a key component of the state’s proposed Early Learning program: family partnerships and parental involvement. An underlying value of the program is family-centeredness, knowing that families play an important role in their child’s learning and development.

Early learning programs are one element in a growing and coordinated system. Throughout EOEL programs, we want to foster responsive and reciprocal relationships between families and their children, between families and early learning and care providers, and between programs and communities. We all play a pivotal role in shaping our children’s lifelong learning.

Over the past decade, we have seen a substantial investment increase in early learning programs at all levels of government, particularly for society’s most disadvantaged children. A significant amount of research affirms the positive effects of high-quality early education on the outcomes of young children. In Hawaii, not only do these children benefit, but communities also gain an economic return of roughly $4.20 for every dollar invested in the early learning program.

Support for preschool goes beyond politics; there is decades of research to back it up. It shows that preschool works. Children who participate in a preschool program are more likely to graduate from high school, receive a degree, consistently be employed, commit fewer crimes and be less dependent on social services.

EOEL’s goal is to serve Hawaii’s 4-year-olds, and though we encourage parents and families to enroll their children, we understand that not every child will participate, because the program is voluntary. This should have no bearing on the quality of the state’s program.

Families that research the options, seek funding subsidies and take their kids to school will benefit from the early learning system, and they should be given the best possible options. Parents will be able to choose from a variety of early learning settings, including family-child interaction programs.

Bottom line: The Hawaii preschool program needs to be high quality to generate benefits to children, but it also must embrace parent participation.

Early care and education is not just for families who can afford it. It is for every single one of our children, because they deserve the best start in life, and the community will benefit, too.