States are struggling. Children’s lives, too often, are truly in the balance as states and localities decide where to make cuts, often sacrificing long-term investments to achieve short-term cost savings. And a new National League of Cities report, City Fiscal Conditions 2009, suggests that the situation will worsen over the next two years.

Do state preschool programs make a difference for kids? In a word: yes, according to a rigorous assessment from the National Institute for Early Education Research. In a study of 5,071 kindergarten-age children in five states -- Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia -- those who attended state-funded preschool programs scored higher on early language, literacy, and math tests. The differences were statistically significant, and applied to children of all economic backgrounds.

Should young children be allowed to play with scary toys? What do you say when a toddler tells you daddy hurt mommy last night? Children who have experienced trauma bring their anxieties and concerns to child care. This Zero to Three guidebook helps caregivers understand the effects of trauma on children's responses and behaviors, and how to provide the kind of caring that helps children traumatized by violence, loss or natural disasters feel safe and resilient again.

More than a million three and four-year-olds now attend state funded pre-kindergarten programs, as state pre-K spending has shown the largest increase in five years, according to this Pre-K Now national report. Nationwide total pre-K funding nearly doubled over last year, as 30 states moved to increase funding for pre-K access, twice the number of states over FY05.

More children than ever now have access to state-funded preschool thanks to the largest single-year spending increases in five years by state legislatures in 2005. That's the key finding of a new report, which estimates that pre-K spending exceeded $3.5 billion this year. Stateline.org reports.

Early Head Start targets low-income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers birth to age 3. In a randomized trial of 3,001 families in 17 programs, kids in the program performed better than the control group in cognitive and language development, displayed higher emotional engagement of the parent and sustained attention with play objects, and were lower in aggressive behavior. Compared with controls, Early Head Start parents were more emotionally supportive, provided more language and learning stimulation, read to their children more, and spanked less. The strongest and most numerous impacts were for programs that offered a mix of home-visiting and center-based services and fully implemented the performance standards early.

As Congress considers legislation to reauthorize the federal Head Start program, this policy brief examines the latest data from the Program Information Reports that all Head Start grantees must submit to the U.S. Department of Health. In 2004, Head Start continued to provide early education services and medical, dental, and mental health screenings for poor children, as well as comprehensive supports for families. The number of teachers with degrees grew substantially in 2004—65 percent of teachers had an Associate's Degree or higher. Less than half of eligible children, however, receive Head Start services.

Whether you are a parent or policymaker, it is not so easy to wrap your mind around what makes up a high-quality pre-k classroom. That's why Pre-K Now offers a virtual tour, complete with photographs, of a real, high-quality pre-K setting.

The National Economic Development and Law Center offers its successful economic impact model for engaging policymakers, business and community leaders, and economic development professionals in early learning.

High-quality early childhood programs can produce broad, long-term societal benefits -- including increased employment and associated tax revenue, reduced crime, and reduced dependency on social welfare systems. Many states are moving toward providing universal pre-K to all children. This RAND report describes eight states' efforts to create statewide systems of high-quality pre-K.