The state has decided towns without kindergarten, including Salem, Windham and Pelham, can have an extra year to add it to their districts.

School officials can breathe a little easier. But they know how much hard work is ahead of them.

We’re relieved the state has revised its program to include more options and more funds to help the 12 towns in New Hampshire – the last holdouts in the country – put this important educational component into place. They’re offering money for building and also will fund the first year of operating costs. Districts can also contract with existing private kindergartens to provide education while they get their own program up and running.

So at least we have options, and it’s less of an unfunded mandate than it was before.

Now the school district officials have to outline a plan and get taxpayers behind them so any additional startup money can be raised come election time. It’s not an easy task, but not impossible either, providing we all get behind the idea.

Now that we’ve been given time, officials and the community have to roll up their sleeves and work together to see that children receive the very best education we can provide for them, getting them off to a good start with a kindergarten program.

- Editorials published by Neighborhood News Inc. are written by an editorial board.

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