Gov. David Ige, in his State of the State address, spoke of accommodating state-funded preschools with an estimated cost of $500 million for classroom construction and $51 million a year to operate. About the project he said, “Obviously, it’s a decades-long process.”

However, a project that is easier to implement, reasonably priced and effective, is needed now because too many of our preschoolers, especially in disadvantaged areas, have much catching up to do before learning class-level skills when entering school. This places unnecessary stress on teachers in meeting lesson objectives.

A possible solution is for the state Department of Education to provide parents, a child’s first and most important teacher, a check-off list of skills a preschooler should know or be familiar with when entering kindergarten or first grade.

In addition, require this completed check-off list be turned in when registering their child for school. It should be noted parents have these preschool skills.

Bill Punini Prescott

Nanakuli

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