Although there is considerable research on the elements of high-quality preschool and its many benefits, particularly for low-income children and English learners, little information is available to policymakers about how to convert their visions of good early education into on-the-ground reality. This brief summarizes a study that fills that gap by describing and analyzing how four states--Michigan, West Virginia, Washington and North Carolina--have built high-quality early education systems. Among the common elements of their success are strategies that: (1) prioritize quality and continuous improvement; (2) invest in training and coaching for program staff; (3) coordinate the administration of birth-through-grade-3 programs; (4) strategically combine multiple funding sources to increase access and improve quality; and (5) create broad-based coalitions and support. [For the full report, see ED606328.]