More than half of the state's 180 public elementary schools do not have playground equipment appropriate for children between the ages of 2 and 5 — those in preschool, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten — according to a Department of Education report released yesterday.

The report found 96 schools, 53 percent, do not have age-appropriate equipment.

The report also said that 28 of the state's public elementary schools have older playground equipment that could pose safety problems for children.

However, that equipment still needs to be checked, according to the report.

Additionally, 16 elementary schools have no playground equipment at all, although equipment has been funded — not installed — at five of those schools.

The report was requested in the wake of concerns raised by parents such as Linda Elento, the mother of a child with special needs.

Elento has taken her son out of He'eia Elementary simply because the playground equipment is hazardous for him, she says.

"It's about time they're doing something," said Elento. "It's been so long since I've been complaining to the principal, the board, the Legislature.

"Our kids are supposed to be given what's appropriate for them."

Superintendent Pat Hamamoto told the Board of Education yesterday that she would be looking into the situation.

Board member Mary Cochran was blunt in her assessment: "If anything should happen, we're all going to be held liable."

One issue raised is the cost of putting in a playground structure and rubberized surface, which is about $75,000, according to the report.

The department must depend on funding from the Legislature to pay for installation of the equipment at the public schools.

As of today, 35 additional playgrounds have been funded and are either in design or under construction thanks to legislative funding in the past two years.

Other outside agencies, such as Hawai'i 3Rs, also have been assisting the DOE in providing age-appropriate playgrounds or building playgrounds at schools where there are none.

According to the report, the issue dates back to 1995 when the DOE decided to remove playground equipment on school campuses because of the safety and liability issue.

At the time, said the report, "existing playground equipment was deemed unsafe."

By 1999, most playground equipment had been removed, and, as funds were available from the Legislature, new, safer equipment was installed.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.