North Beach Elementary School students from left, Mora Renis, 5, Gabrielle Amato, 5, Camila Nuez, 4, and Nyah Coppola, 4, sign in front of Sen. Hillary Clinton, Monday, May 21, 2007, in Miami, when she paid a visit to their school. The Democratic presidential hopeful was in town to propose a pre-K initiative whereby 4-year-olds would have access to pre-K programs through a federal-state partnership. ——— AP Photo / The Miami Herald, Nuri Vallbona

Hillary Clinton (D) Senator, New York Born: 10/26/1947 Birthplace: Chicago, IL Home: Chappaqua, NY Religion: Methodist >> Website >> Forum >> Related Stories Coming Events

You can pay now or pay a lot later.

That's the diagnosis on early childhood education by Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton, who has unveiled a proposal to expand pre-kindergarten classes to cover all of America's 4-year-olds.

"It's a better investment than the stock market," said the New York senator in a national conference call with reporters on Tuesday. She added that the opportunity to give children across the country the "same chance" at early childhood education was something "I've believed in and fought for for 35 years ... kids who get behind never catch up."

The plan, which Clinton announced Monday in Florida, would be a voluntary federal-state partnership offering as much as $10 billion annually in matching federal funds to states within five years. The states would be left to devise their own programs. Clinton said she would fund the program by cutting more than 500,000 private contractors from government payrolls.

According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, only 800,000 of the country's estimated 4 million 4-year-old children are enrolled in pre-kindergarten. Clinton said studies have shown that $1 invested early saves $7 in later payments for those who end up on programs like welfare or in prison.

"We will pay for our failures one way or another," Clinton said about the consequences of ignoring the evidence showing the long-term benefits of quality education.

State Education Commissioner Lyonel Tracy said pre-school proposals such as Clinton's would be "long overdue" for a state such as New Hampshire, which does not have mandatory kindergarten and is dealing with long-term problems, such as persistent high school dropout rates.

"For any of the presidential candidates, pre-school programs support public education in the right way," he told the Herald.

In other primary related news:

♦ Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware has called on the leading Democratic candidates for president to join him in asking for a 90-minute debate focused exclusively on the Iraq war. Biden said he has sent letters to network news stations to organize a discussion focused solely on Iraq and asked Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean for assistance.

♦ Republican presidential hopeful and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is slated for a luncheon speech in Rochester on Tuesday, May 29, before members of the Greater Dover, Rochester and Somersworth Chambers of Commerce and the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire. The event will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Governor's Inn and Restaurant, 78 Wakefield St. The cost to attend is $20, and advance registration is required. To register, call 224-5388, ext. 116, or visit acteva.com/go/nhbia.

♦ Democratic presidential contender Sen. Christoper Dodd of Connecticut has announced three stops in the Granite State on Saturday. Dodd will attend house parties in Laconia, Barrington and Portsmouth on May 26. Gail and Mark Mitchell will host the Barrington event. Michael King and JoAnn Actis-Grande will host Dodd in Portsmouth.

♦ Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and his family have scheduled a North Country tour on Sunday and Monday with visits to Berlin, Littleton and Hanover.

♦ Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and his wife, Christie, are set for a two-day campaign trip to the state in support of Clinton. Tomorrow, the Vilsacks are scheduled to tout Clinton's environmental leadership in visits to Epping, Portsmouth and Dover.