The theme of this issue of the quarterly journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) is the system of early childhood education in the United States, focusing on various challenges to making high-quality preschool education a reality for all children. The following articles are featured: (1) "Principles and Recommendations for Early Childhood Assessments" (Lorrie Shepard, Sharon Lynn Kagan, and Emily Wurtz); (2) "Coordinating Subsidized Child Care, Head Start, and State Prekindergarten" (Rachel Schumacher, Mark Greenberg, and Joan Lombardi; (3) "State Prekindergarten Initiatives: A Varied Picture" (Karen Schulman and Helen Blank); (4) "Early Childhood Education Program Accreditation and State Policies" (Adele Robinson); (5) "Evaluating Smart Start" (Donna Bryant and Kelly Maxwell); and (6) "Family Literacy: Pathway to Success" (Shani Yero). Regular departments for this issue include columns expressing views of the NASBE executive director, surveying the federal education scene, describing state innovations, discussing state education policymaking related to early childhood education, and highlighting the struggle between education and development in early childhood special education. (KB)