Developing an effective and efficient early childhood state system will involve efforts to support program quality and a highly qualified professional workforce based on clearly articulated standards for child development and school readiness. This kind of system improvement will rely on collaborative governance, integrated data to drive and measure improvement, and sustained resources. Governors are uniquely positioned to communicate their vision for an effective system and prioritize this work over time. To ensure they are leading "ready states" where young children are supported by a comprehensive, high-quality early childhood system, state leaders can take six actions. These actions are: (1) Coordinating early childhood governance through a state early childhood advisory council (ECAC); (2) Building an integrated professional development system; (3) Implementing a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS); (4) Developing a longitudinal and coordinated early childhood data system; (5) Aligning comprehensive early learning guidelines and standards for children from birth to age 8 with K-3 content standards; and (6) Integrating federal, state, and private funding sources. Governors who adopt these strategies will take significant steps towards improving school readiness, closing the achievement gap, and reducing high school dropout rates. Particularly in this fiscal climate, the investment of public dollars in building a comprehensive early childhood system can bring about strong returns. Ultimately, this commitment will position states to nurture the next wave of learners, workers, and parents who will shape future generations. (Contains 5 figures and 74 notes.)