---

Early education should
be a priority

THE ISSUE A study shows that only 60 percent of Hawaii kindergarten children are prepared for the classroom.

ABOUT 40 percent of children entering kindergarten in Hawaii are not ready to learn, according to a new study, and only a small number of public schools have programs to help them advance.

The assessment shows how much work lies ahead if the state is to provide children a leg up before they enter the classroom.

Key legislators and Governor Lingle agree that increasing children's access to preschool makes sense. What remains then is to find the means, primarily funding, and the will to get it done.

The Hawaii School Readiness Task Force reported this week that only 60 percent of kindergarten children are mentally prepared for classroom instruction. Research shows that many of the ones who aren't will lag behind throughout their school careers.

The study was conducted to determine a baseline from which policymakers and education officials can work to improve the quality of preschools, increase their numbers and help parents get their children primed for formal education.

Children benefit greatly from preschool or other educational exposure early on. However, the cost of preschool is often prohibitive for parents and federal aid programs for low-income families have been shrinking. If parents can afford it, getting children enrolled is difficult since preschools are short on space.

A number of mainland school districts now include preschool as part of their public education systems. Hawaii lawmakers have been weighing similar proposals as well as measures to extend funding help, such as tax credits, to generate more and affordable preschools and to acquaint parents with the need to get involved.

As a result of federal law, much attention has been placed on public education, as evinced by Act 51, which the state Legislature passed last year. Preschool education, however, had been set on the back burner. As a pivotal element of learning, it should be brought forward.

---

BACK TO TOP
|

U.S. should enter talks
with Iran

THE ISSUE President Bush has completed a four-day trip to Europe, where he sought to repair U.S. relations.

PRESIDENT Bush made good progress in ending the rift with America's traditional allies during his four-day trip to Europe. He now needs to take the extra step of sitting at the table with them in negotiations with Iran to ensure that Tehran will not arm itself with nuclear weapons.

Britain, Germany and France have been engaged in talks with Iran, offering security and economic assistance in return for Iran's agreement to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Bush rejected the idea of incentives as recently as two weeks ago but told European leaders that he would consider such a strategy.

Stephen J. Hadley, his national security adviser, said Bush and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder discussed whether there should be "a mix of carrots and sticks, and who should the carrots come from and what should they be." He said Bush "did a lot of listening" and "has really got to go back and think about it, quite frankly."

European officials have said recently that the negotiations with Iran at Vienna are at an impasse and are concerned that they will collapse without U.S. participation. They say Bush has been opposed to joining them at the table partly because it could be interpreted as rewarding a rogue nation.

Bush offered his own rendition of the carrot-and-stick approach, telling reporters on Tuesday, "This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous," adding, to some laughter, "And having said that, all options are on the table."

The next day, the president elaborated: "That's part of our position, but I also reminded people that diplomacy is just beginning. Iran is not Iraq. We've just started the diplomatic efforts." That is an encouraging departure from his previous lumping together of Iraq, Iran and North Korea as the "axis of evil."