GIVE ALL HAWAII'S KEIKI THE CHANCE TO ATTEND PRESCHOOL.

AND EARLY LEARNING EXPERTS SAY THAT COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO SUCCESS

IN SCHOOL AND LIFE. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO PUT A UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL

PLAN INTO ACTION AND WHAT IS THE PAYOFF FOR OUR INVESTMENT IN EARLY EDUCATION?

NOW, LIVE IN OUR STUDIO, OUR HOST, DAN BOYLAN. >>DAN: ALOHA AND WELCOME TO INSIGHTS ON PBS

HAWAI'I. I'M DAN BOYLAN.

HAWAI'I IS ONE OF ONLY 11 STATES THAT DOES NOT FUND PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS.

CLOSE TO HALF OUR CHILDREN COME TO KINDERGARTEN WITHOUT PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCE.

EDUCATORS SAY THOSE KIDS START AT A DISADVANTAGE, DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME.

AIDED BY A COALITION OF EARLY LEARNING ADVOCATES, GOVERNOR ABERCROMBIE WANTS TO CHANGE THAT.

LAST YEAR, THE STATE PASSED A LAW THAT STARTS TRANSITION FROM CURRENT JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN

TO THE ANTICIPATED HAWAI'I PRESCHOOL PROGRAM. THIS YEAR, LEGISLATION IS IN THE WORKS TO

MOVE THAT PROCESS ALONG. ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, PRESIDENT OBAMA ALSO

WANTS TO MAKE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION A PRIORITY.

HE'S PROPOSED A FEDERAL STATE PARTNERSHIP TO FUND HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL FOR ALL 4 YEAR

OLDS. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO OUR KEIKI AND SOCIETY

AT LARGE WHEN ALL STUDENTS START SCHOOL BEFORE KINDERGARTEN?

TONIGHT WE'LL SPEAK WITH THE GOVERNOR'S TOP EXPERT ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL AS EDUCATORS,

ADVOCATES, PARENTS AND POLICYMAKERS. MANY OF YOU HAVE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE WITH

THIS ISSUE AS PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS, EMPLOYERS, TEACHERS AND AS PRESCHOOL VETERANS IN YOUR

OWN RIGHT. I NEVER HAD THAT EXPERIENCE.

I FEEL BAD. SO WE HOPE YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE YOUR QUESTIONS

AND THOUGHTS TONIGHT. IS PRESCHOOL NECESSARY TO PREPARE YOUNG CHILDREN

FOR SCHOOL AND BEYOND? WHAT SHOULD THEY LEARN BEFORE KINDERGARTEN

AND IS THIS A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT FOR OUR STATE?

YOU CAN JOIN OUR CONVERSATION BY CALLING, E MAILING OR TWEETING YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

FOR OUR GUESTS. THE CONTACT INFORMATION YOU NOW SEE ON YOUR

SCREEN WILL BE REPEATED THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. INSIGHT IS ALSO STREAMING LIVE ON YOUR COMPUTER

AND WILL BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AFTER THE BROADCAST.

NOW, TO OUR GUESTS. TERRY LOCK IS THE DIRECTOR OF STATE EXECUTIVE

OFFICE ON EARLY LEARNING, NEW CABINET LEVEL POSITION IN THE STATE ADMINISTRATION.

BEFORE COMING TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, TERRY DIRECTED KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS' COMMUNITY BASED

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DIVISION AND BEFORE THAT, SHE WAS MAUI COUNTY'S EARLY CHILDHOOD

COORDINATOR. STATE SENATOR JILL TOKUDA REPRESENTS THE WINDWARD

DISTRICT FROM KAILUA TO KANEOHE. SHE IS MAJORITY WHIP AND CHAIRS THE SENATE

EDUCATION COMMITEE WHERE SHE PRESIDES OVER HEARINGS ON EARLY EDUCATION BILLS.

JILL ALSO SERVED ON VARIOUS EDUCATION RELATED COMMISSIONS AND TASK FORCES.

KANOE NAONE IS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF INPEACE, INSTITUTE FOR NATIVE PACIFIC EDUCATION

AND CULTURE. INPEACE PROGRAMS SUCH AS KEIKI STEPS TO KINDERGARTEN

SERVE THOUSANDS OF ECONOMICALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

KANOE PREVIOUSLY TAUGHT IN THE D.O.E.'S HAWAIIAN IMMERSION PROGRAM AND WORKED WITH THE KEIKI

O KA AINA FAMILY LEARNING CENTERS. KEITH VIEIRA IS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR STARWOOD HOTELS AND RESORTS IN HAWAI'I AND FRENCH POLYNESIA.

KEITH IS ON THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR THE BE MY VOICE CAMPAIGN AND TESTIFIED AT THE

STATE LEGISLATURE GIVING THE BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE ON THE BENEFITS OF PRESCHOOL.

DEBORAH ZYSMAN IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GOOD BEGINNINGS ALLIANCE, A NONPROFIT CHILD

ADVOCACY GROUP. GOOD BEGINNINGS IS RUNNING THE BE MY VOICE

CAMPAIGN TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND PERSUADE STATE LAWMAKERS

TO FUND UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL FOR ALL 4 YEAR OLDS.

LET'S LOOK AT A 30 SECOND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT PRODUCED THROUGH THE "BE MY VOICE" CAMPAIGN.

¶ ¶

>> THE STATE OF HAWAI'I SPENDS NEARLY $50,000 A YEAR ON EACH PRISON INMATE AND ALMOST NOTHING

ON OUR PRESCHOOLERS. DON'T IMPRISON OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE.

ASK YOUR LEGISLATOR TO FUND PRESCHOOL FOR ALL FOUR YEAR OLDS.

YOU CAN CHANGE THEIR FUTURE AT BE MY VOICE HAWAI'I.ORG.

>>DAN: DEBORAH, THAT'S A PRETTY SCARY AD. IF WE DON'T HAVE PRESCHOOL FOR OUR KIDS, EARLY

EDUCATION PROGRAM, THEY'RE GOING TO END UP IN PRISON?

THAT'S KIND OF HARSH. >> IT'S A METAPHORE, BUT WE DID WANT IT TO

BE PROVOCATIVE. WHEN WE SET OUT TO DO THIS CAMPAIGN, WE KNEW

THAT EARLY EDUCATORS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME AND SHARING THE

RESEARCH AND HOW KIDS REALLY BENEFIT FROM PRESCHOOL WHEN IT SEEMED LIKE NO ONE WAS LISTENING.

WE SET OUT TO KIND OF SHAKE PEOPLE AND SAY, CAN THEY PAY ATTENTION.

YOU KNOW WHAT? THESE ADS HAVE DONE IT.

>>DAN: SHACKLES WILL DO IT EVERY TIME. WHAT'S THE GOOD BEGINNINGS ALLIANCE?

>> STATEWIDE NONPROFIT THAT DOES ADVOCACY ON EARLY CHILDHOOD ISSUES.

SO HEALTH, SAFETY AND EDUCATION FOR OUR KIDS FROM PRENATAL TO 8.

>>DAN: WHEN I THINK ABOUT EARLY EDUCATION AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, I WAS AT AN ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL THE OTHER DAY, I ASKED THE PRINCIPAL HOW MANY MALE TEACHERS DO YOU HAVE. SHE SAID

TWO OUT OF THE ENTIRE SIX GRADES, AND WHY? WELL, THEY LIKE SECONDARY EDUCATION.

NOT PRESCHOOL. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

WHAT DOES BUSINESS HAVE TO DO WITH EARLY EDUCATION? >> TWO BEST PERSPECTIVES ARE VERY IMPORTANT

FOR US. FIRST IS WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT.

AS LOOKING AT THE KIDS COMING OUT OF COLLEGE OR HIGH SCHOOL AND COMING INTO OUR WORK FORCE,

WHETHER IT BE IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, OR GENERAL BUSINESS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOW THEY'RE

GOING TO BE ABLE TO FUND PUTTING THEIR KIDS THROUGH SCHOOL.

THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT PRESCHOOL EDUCATION. THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT AT THAT AGE, NOT MAKING

MUCH MONEY. SO YOU NEED HELP IN GETTING THEM TO PRESCHOOL.

AND WHAT WE HEAR FROM A LOT OF OUR INCOMING MANAGERS IS THAT IN DECIDING BETWEEN THE MAINLAND

AND HERE, IF YOU CAN GO TO A STATE THAT HAS FUNDED PRESCHOOL, MAYBE THAT MAY BE THE CHOICE.

SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, THE WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT IS IMPORTANT.

THE OTHER SIDE, BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, IS DOING SOMETHING PROACTIVE FOR ONCE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITY AND TAXATION AND THE COST OF LIVING AND EVERYTHING THAT

GOES UP, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO BE ABLE TO REIN SOME OF THOSE COSTS IN.

HOW ABOUT STARTING EARLY? HOW ABOUT GIVING KIDS THE RIGHT FOUNDATION

SO YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE LESS SCENARIOS THAT YOU SAW IN THE TV ADS REALLY IS ONE OF BEING

PROACTIVE AND TRYING TO GET TO THEM EARLY AND GIVING THEM A GOOD START IN LIFE SO THEY

CAN BE SUCCESSFUL LATER. >>DAN: MY WIFE AND I WENT TO DINNER THE OTHER

NIGHT AND RAN INTO A BUSINESSMAN WHO WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW, KNOWN HIM FOR A WHILE, SOMEHOW

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S COMING UP ON THE SHOW.

I SAID EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. BUSINESSMAN, HE SAYS, IT'S JUST BABYSITTING.

HIGH PRICED BABYSITTING. NOW, DO YOU HEAR THAT AMONG BUSINESSMEN?

>> NO. I THINK PEOPLE CLEARLY RECOGNIZE TO PUT YOUR

KIDS INTO PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS AND WE HAVE THEM OUT THERE NOW

AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS WILLING TO STEP UP AND ASSIST IN THOSE PROGRAMS.

BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE KIDS THIS START. YOU HAVE TO GET THEM READY COMING INTO SCHOOL

AND YOU HEAR FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE, LET'S FIX K THROUGH 12 FIRST.

YOU WANT TO FIX K THROUGH 12, GET THE KIDS COMING IN BETTER PREPARED, BETTER READY SO

TEACHERS CAN HAVE MORE SUCCESS WITH THEM. >>DAN: TERRY, YOU CAME HERE LAST TIME AND

HAD A DIFFERENT TITLE. NOW YOU'RE A BIG DEAL.

YOU WERE JUST A LITTLE DEAL THEN. NOW YOU'RE A BIG DEAL.

WHERE DOES THE GOVERNOR COME DOWN? WHAT PRECISELY IS HE PROPOSING?

>> WELL, HE'S PROPOSING THAT WE GET KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL.

BECAUSE I MENTIONED JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN ED ENDING.

THERE'S ALSO THE CHANGE IN KINDERGARTEN AGE. WITH THAT, THERE'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER OF

CHILDREN, ABOUT 5,100 CHILDREN WITHOUT SERVICES IN 2014 '15 SCHOOL YEAR.

THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING THAT WE NEED TO START WITH THAT URGENCY AND BE ABLE TO HAVE

PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN. SCHOOL READINESS.

SO AND IT WOULD BE EDUCATIONAL, SO I WAS GOING TO SAY, THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED KEITH,

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT QUALIFIED STAFF ARE BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THESE PROGRAMS.

>>DAN: BUT ISN'T THE PRIVATE SECTOR DOING IT IN A WAY?

YOU'VE GOT HOW MANY STUDENTS IN YOUR PROGRAMS? I THINK YOU HAVE 12 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AROUND

THE STATE. WE HAVE 8 PROGRAMS AND IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD

SECTOR, WE'VE GOT 700, ANOTHER 600, ROUGHLY A GOOD 1,400 KIDS.

BUT THAT'S JUST A SMALL SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION. IT'S REALLY SMALL.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IN SOME COMMUNITIES, ONLY 20% OF KIDS ARE GOING TO PRESCHOOL.

AND SO WHAT ARE THE SLOTS AND WHAT ARE THE PRESCHOOLS OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR

THEM? YOU HAVE SOME COMMUNITIES THAT 80% GO, BUT

THE STATE AVERAGES ABOUT 60% GO. SO THAT MEANS 40% OF THE POPULATION IS NOT

GOING TO PRESCHOOL. SO REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PRESCHOOL PROVIDERS

THERE ARE OUT THERE, THERE STILL ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF KIDS THAT AREN'T GETTING SERVICES.

>>DAN: WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THIS PROGRAM? WHO'S PAYING FOR YOUR PROGRAM?

>> SO OUR FUNDING COMES THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

SO WE HAVE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR OUR PROGRAM. WE ALSO HAVE SOME PRIVATE FOUNDATION FUNDING.

CURRENTLY, INPEACE AND ALL OF OUR 8 PROGRAMS, WE DON'T HAVE ANY STATE FUNDING FOR ANY OF

OUR STATE SERVICES >>DAN: SO IT'S FEDERAL AND SOME PRIVATE?

>> YES. FEDERAL AND SOME PRIVATE

>>DAN: IT TENDS TO BE ALONG THE COAST. OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS IS NOT INVOLVED AT ALL?

>> NO. THEY DON'T FUND OUR PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS.

AND THEN WE ARE IN NATIVE HAWAIIAN SERVING NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOMESTEAD COMMUNITIES ACROSS

THE STATE. >>DAN: NOW, THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD, JILL,

IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. IN THAT BUILDING YOU WORK IN.

WHAT BILLS LOOK POSSIBLE TO YOU? >> RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THREE BILLS THAT ARE

GOING THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. IT'S THE HOLY TRINITY OF BILLS FOR EARLY LEARNING

AND IT IS THE SCHOOL READINESS MEASURE, THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND THE EARLY LEARNING

MEASURE THAT NEEDS TO PASS. SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING

ON TO MAKE THIS PUBLICLY FUNDED EARLY LEARNING SYSTEM A REALITY FOR HAWAI'I.

RIGHT NOW, THOSE THREE MEASURES HAVE PASSED. THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE

AND ARE POISED TO CROSS OVER INTO THE HOUSE NEXT WEEK AFTER A FLOOR VOTE IN THE SENATE.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF POLITICAL WILL FOR BOTH OF HOUSE AND SENATE

TO NOT ONLY PASS THOSE 3 PARTICULAR MEASURES TO ALSO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT OF INVESTMENT OF

RESOURCES TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY $30 MILLION IN THE FIRST

BIENNIUM AND ONGOING FROM THAT POINT FORWARD TO REALLY START TO PHASE THIS UPWARDS.

IT'S REALLY AN INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.

YOU MENTIONED EARLIER WE HAVE PRIVATE PROVIDERS OUT THERE AND THEY'VE BEEN MOVING HAWAI'I

FORWARD ALL THOSE YEARS. IF YOU HAVE HAD THE BENEFIT OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

IN HAWAI'I AT SOME POINT, THE CHANCES ARE YOU'VE HAD IT BECAUSE A PRIVATE PROVIDER HAS

BEEN THERE TO GIVE IT TO YOU. WELL, IT'S TIME THAT THE STATE STEP UP, PUT

SOME SKIN IN THE GAME AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY WHAT THIS REPRESENTS.

>>DAN: CAN THE STATE AFFORD TO PUT THE SKIN IN THE GAME?

I MEAN, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY DOWN AT THE LEGISLATURE

ABOUT WHERE  I MEAN, CONTRACTS THAT HAVE TO BE REACHED WITH OTHER PUBLIC WORKERS AND

WITH THE TEACHERS AND NOW, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY GOING TO TAKE, IF K THROUGH 12 CONSTITUTES

13 YEARS OF EDUCATION, YOU'RE GOING TO ADD A 14TH YEAR OF EDUCATION.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR THAT? THAT'S A LOT OF BUCKS, RIGHT?

>> YES. IT COSTS MONEY, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT RESOURCES

IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL, IT'S REALLY TAKING GENERAL FUNDS AND REALLY STARTING THE PROGRAM.

AS WE GO TO THE OUT YEARS, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN, WE WILL HAVE TO FIND THOSE RESOURCES.

BUT FOR NOW, I THINK WE CAN SAFELY SAY THAT IT'S THERE.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PRIORITY AND ABOUT HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR INVESTMENT.