High-quality pre-K that really improves children's outcomes--that's the goal early childhood professionals will work toward with this groundbreaking text, the first volume in the NEW National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) series. Combining the most current knowledge of top researchers, policy makers, and federal and state officials, this book examines where pre-K is today and inspires decision-makers with programs. With this in-depth examination of the latest research and practice, readers will be better prepared to: (1) make a compelling argument for supporting high-quality pre-K, articulating how it boosts children's school readiness and academic performance; (2) address the complex challenges of expanding pre-K at the national and state level; (3) understand the pros and cons of different types of pre-K programs: universal vs. targeted, whole day vs. part day, centralized vs. local, one curriculum vs. many; and (4) make informed decisions about the most important issues in program development. To find out what's already working in pre-K program development, readers will get an inside look at five successful state-level programs in New York, Maryland, Louisiana, Georgia, and North Carolina. Through detailed analyses of each program's characteristics, these extended case examples give decision-makers a template for effective, child-centered early education. An essential resource for policy makers, researchers, and teacher educators, this important volume will help early childhood professionals make progress toward their ultimate goal: pre-K that responds to children's changing needs, helps close the achievement gap, and ensures school readiness. Following a Foreword by Richard M. Clifford, this book contains nine chapters divided into two sections (National Level Concerns and Implementation at the State Level). The chapters are: (1) An Overview of Prekindergarten Policy in the United States: Program Governance, Eligibility, Standards, and Finance (W. Steven Barnett, Allison H. Friedman, Jason T. Hustedt, and Judi Stevenson-Boyd); (2) Assessing the School Readiness Needs of a State (Thomas Schultz); (3) Models for Financing State-Supported Prekindergarten Programs (Anne W. Mitchell); (4) Comparing Universal and Targeted Prekindergarten Programs (Aryn M. Dotterer, Margaret Burchinal, Donna M. Bryant, Diane M. Early, and Robert C. Pianta); (5) Research Evidence About Program Dosage and Student Achievement: Effective Public Prekindergarten Programs in Maryland and Louisiana (Craig T. Ramey, Sharon Landesman Ramey, and Billy R. Stokes); (6) Georgia's Prekindergarten Program: Bright from the Start (Marsha H. Moore); (7) North Carolina More at Four Prekindergarten Program: A Case Study of Funding versus Quality and Other Issues in Large-Scale Implementation (Carolyn T. Cobb); (8) Implementing Large-Scale Prekindergarten Initiatives: Lessons from New York (Moncrieff Cochran); and (9) Emerging Issues in Prekindergarten Programs (Youngok Jung, Carollee Howes, and Robert C. Pianta).