The maintenance of Hawai'i's older public schools does not inspire confidence. It's normally done in piecemeal fashion — a paint job here, new windows there — and never seems to be enough.

But Farrington High School, among the largest and at 72, the third oldest, is pursuing an ambitious plan: a floor-to-ceiling renovation to fix everything.

It's a test case for the state Department of Education. If successful, it could break the vicious cycle of deferred maintenance that leaves the public dissatisfied and the eventual repairs more costly.

There's good common sense built into the project. The principal and her research group set the goals, which are based on educational needs. Among them: redesigned buildings that cluster smaller groups of students with core teams of teachers; an athletic complex to replace a defunct pool; noise and pollution reduction; experimental renewable energy systems for education as well as electricity.

The project won't be cheap. Initial cost estimates are $40 million, but are expected to go much higher. The school's repair projects backlog already totals $34 million.

But even so, logic favors the comprehensive approach: Many of those repairs would roll into the overall project.

If costs can be managed, and the 2009 Legislature provides full funding, Farrington High School could serve as a model for smart, sensible spending on behalf of Hawai'i's students.