The Education Commission of the States (ECS) recently conducted analyses, interviews and a survey for a study designed to identify the most pressing early learning issues facing policymakers. The goal was to hear both from those who are faced with making decisions and from those who are on the ground conducting research and developing programs. To that end, this report reflects both a policy and program perspective on emerging issues for early learning. The study included: a review of all early learning legislation enacted in states in 2005, an analysis of governors' 2006 State of the State addresses,2 a review of a 2005 survey of ECS commissioners, and interviews with both issue-specific national experts and state policymakers. Findings indicate that policymakers will or should be increasingly focused on the following emerging issues: (1) Sustaining program expansion and appropriately directing funds; (2) Strengthening the coordination, alignment and governance of programs and services for young children; (3) Making more purposeful, productive use of accountability and assessment mechanisms; (4) Ensuring quality--program and personnel; and (5) Engaging parents. This policy brief reviews these five key issues and related challenges faced by policymakers and identifies pertinent questions for which policymakers will need answers. These issue areas do not co-exist as separate and independent issues that can be tackled in isolation from other contributing factors, however, for the purpose of this review, they are presented and discussed separately. (Contains 4 endnotes.)