This volume will provide an overview of the research and practice of state-funded pre-k programs with implications for future program development and planning. This book is a product of the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) first Annual Leadership Symposium, which was held in Washington, DC in February of 2007. Leaders in the field met with researchers, policy makers and state level officials to share information about the status of pre-kindergarten programs in the United States. This volume captures critical information related to both the nature of preschool education and the challenges of implementing preschool education at the state level. The first section of the book examines state-level concerns related to expanding preschool education. Topics addressed include approaches to assessing young children's school readiness, methods for financing state funded preschool programs, and a comparison of the quality of universal, targeted, and voucher-funded programs. The second section focuses on issues related to the implementation of state-level programs. Authors share research from five states that finance state-level preschool. This book is the first of a closed series of books (5 total) and working papers addressing critical issues in early childhood education.