This brief reviews state plans submitted to the U.S. Department of Education as of October 1, 2017. It focuses on three key topics for early learning in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): setting clear goals and policy priorities for early learning, integrating early learning into school improvement, and supporting early childhood educator development. Each of these topics has significant potential for impact on early learning if implemented well at the local level. The brief provides best practices that can be used or adapted by State Education Agencies (SEAs) to evaluate the effectiveness of their plans as states move deeper into implementation. A chart showing how each state addresses seven areas within their ESSA plans is also included.