Supplemental reading, math, science and social studies programs will be increased from $32 million to $50 million under the proposed budget for lottery money, according to The Associated Press. Meanwhile, three scholarship programs would see a sharp increase in lottery funds, from $48 million to $116 million. A fourth would see a slight reduction, from $6.5 million to $6.2 million.

The funding breakdown reflects the strong constituency for lottery scholarships among the parents whose children benefit. Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston, says the Legislature is more interested in giving "a sop to the voters" in scholarships than addressing the greater needs of elementary school children.

Rep. Altman, a former longtime school board member for Charleston County, has consistently urged that lottery money be used primarily in K-5, particularly for reading programs. He contends that children who read at grade level by the fifth grade will have fewer academic problems in the following grades.

Better preparation in the early grades should ensure that more students will be prepared for academic excellence in college. It also could improve the percentage of students who complete high school in South Carolina. Education officials report that only 48 of every 100 ninth-graders in the state graduate from high school.

Scholarship programs may be popular, but public education would be better served if the Legislature's focus shifts to K-5 during the budget discussions on how the lottery money is to be allocated.