This editorial appears in the July 7 Yakima Herald-Republic

What had appeared to be a crisp looking blueprint for the future of public education in this state has gotten a few smudge marks on it.

The ink blotches are courtesy of Gov. Chris Gregoire. In a move that caught lawmakers even within her own Democratic party by surprise, Gregoire recently made several line-item vetoes in House Bill 2261, a highly controversial measure that establishes sweeping changes in the way public schools operate.

The bill creates new basic education requirements and mandates all-day kindergarten, longer school days, additional credits for high school students, and a more equitable way to dole out funds to school districts, improving the prospects for depressed property-tax districts like those in the Yakima Valley.

It also sets up a process for determining adequate standards for teachers and provides support for libraries, counselors, nurses and transportation.

Funding, of course, is not attached to the bill. Lawmakers have to come up with that later. The estimated additional costs to cover the new programs and increased salaries by 2018, when the requirements must be in place, could range from $3.4 billion to $5 billion per year.

One of the governor's vetoes removed a provision for providing early learning opportunities for children of low-income families. It's not that Gregoire was looking for a way to trim down the measure's costly consequences. Just the opposite.

The governor didn't think the at-risk provision in the House bill went far enough. When signing the remaining portions of the bill, Gregoire said she "wanted quality early learning programs available for all children."

Great, even further expansion of basic education requirements with no additional funding.

Rep. Judy Warnick of Moses Lake, one of a handful of Republicans who voted for the measure, expressed shock that the governor would veto this portion of HB 2261. Allowing children from low-income families access to early learning opportunities is an important starting point, Warnick argued. Further expanding that access to all children could happen later, she said.

We certainly agree with that point.

The governor also vetoed a section of the measure that deals with highly capable students. These are the over-achievers who are blessed with off-the-chart IQs. Under the measure, school districts would be able to identify and set up programs for those identified as highly capable, giving these students accelerated classes.

Warnick argues these above-average students are not being challenged enough and soon become bored with their classes. This further deteriorates their study skills. Only when these students enter top colleges do they realize they are poorly prepared.

Warnick is confident these two vetoed items will be addressed when the Legislature goes back into session in January.

While a refined curriculum for overachieving students is something worth considering, the need to provide access for children from low-income families in early learning programs is urgent. That should be dealt with sooner rather than later.

Then the task at hand will be finding the money to pay for it. That will require some highly capable lawmakers willing to look at creative ways to improve statewide school funding. This should include a look at whether local levies could be reduced or, one day, eliminated in favor of a more equitable system for the entire Evergreen State.

We hope they are up to the challenge.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.