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believe the figure is too low.  For example, they say that

"quality" early care and education programs would likely

cost more than $5,800 per child per year.  Indeed, that

seems probable considering the lower student-teacher ratios

that would almost certainly be required to care for

infants and toddlers and the cost of capital expansion,

among other things.

Proponents of universal preschool have various ideas

for funding such programs, but there seems to be a consen-

sus that all taxpayers, rather than parents themselves,

should have to pay for the programs.  According to Kagan

and Cohen, "The public must acknowledge its role and pick

up more of the tab for early care and education. . . . The

public--not simply the direct consumers--should be respon-

sible for funding American early care and education."14

They suggest possible mechanisms for funding, including

individual and corporate income taxes, federal payroll

taxes, trust funds, and new sales or excise taxes.

Preschool and Public Education Today

New York and Georgia have implemented universal pre-

school programs, and Massachusetts, New Jersey, and

Kentucky have taken significant steps in that direction.15

All told, 37 states fund prekindergarten programs.16

Fourteen of those states target four-year-olds only, and

13 target both three- and four-year-olds.  Only 10 of the

37 states have established specific family income levels as

required criteria for child eligibility, and not all of the

remaining states plan to serve all children.  A vast major-

ity of programs use public schools to provide services, and

some include parenting education and home-based

components.17

Twenty-four states fund statewide, comprehensive pro-

grams for infants and toddlers.18   Those programs typically

include home visits to parents with newborns, parenting

education, and limited child care.  The National Center

for Children in Poverty reports, "In many states there is

a deepening commitment to comprehensive programs and plan-

ning for young children and families."  In fact, since

1996, 10 states have started or expanded programs for

infants and toddlers.19   Per state spending on those pro-

grams ranges from $300,000 to over $200 million.20

In addition, states supplement state funds with feder-

al funds.  In 1997 approximately $11.5 billion in federal

funds was available for child care and early education

activities through five major programs: Head Start, the