It’s good to see Oahu’s West side getting the attention, and due speed, that it deserves. Monday’s opening of two new preschool classrooms at Nanakuli Elementary School, a half-year earlier than initially scheduled, sets the right tone to boost education in the chronically underserved area.

A December report on kindergarten readiness found that just 29.6% of keiki statewide were prepared on basics such as language, math and social skills; in the Nanakuli area it was 18.4%. Every keiki, regardless of geographic area or socio-economic level, deserves to launch into education on the same foot — not many disadvantaged steps behind.