Advocating an early childhood education structure that is state-supported, accountable for high standards, sufficiently funded to include all children who need it and whose parents want it, and comparable to the systems of other high-achieving industrialized nations, this report provides baseline information about U.S. states' provision of early childhood education, including policies of preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds and kindergarten for 5-year-olds. Findings include the following: (1) 28 states provide preschool programs to 3- and 4-year-olds, without restricted access for 3-year-olds; (2) 21 states give enrollment priority to low-income children and children with other risk factors; (3) 8 states and the District of Columbia require all early childhood teachers to have a bachelor's degree and all early childhood workers to have at least a child development association (CDA) credential; (5) 8 states pay lead early childhood teachers a salary comparable to the state's K-12 teachers; (6) 14 states have school readiness standards and require programs to use them; and (7) 7 states fund full- and half-day kindergarten and require kindergarten enrollment. In light of these findings, the report includes a set of recommendations to states for taking next steps to promote highquality, universal early childhood education, including: (1) making preschool available to all 3- and 4-year-olds, beginning with disadvantaged children; (2) guarantee full-day kindergarten for all children whose families want them to participate; (3) require higher levels of formal education and training, and develop sources to increase compensation of all teachers and staff; and (4) require and enforce standards for all programs. (Contains 54 references.) (HTH)