Universal preschool

Universal preschool is an international movement to use public funding to ensure high quality preschool (pre-k) is available to all families. Schools rate their education systems on academic performance of their students and compare them to schools nationwide as well as globally. There is a constant competitive drive for schools to be among the top in performance and achievement. Introducing a universal preschool program would allow for young children of different socioeconomic backgrounds to build and improve their academic and social skills to better prepare them for kindergarten and the rest of their academic career. Additionally, the introduction of universal preschool would allow for many financially struggling families to send their children to preschool which would allow for many women to enter or re-enter the workforce.
Publicly funded preschool in the US.
After analyzing and citing nationwide and international research that show the short-term and long-term benefits preschool has for low to middle income families, the movement to advance publicly funded preschool has resulted in the successful passage of preschool legislation in 44 states in the US. While some legislation for funding preschool has been passed on the federal level (including the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant) much of the advocacy still focuses on building broad support from diverse leaders in business, educators, child activists, philanthropists, law enforcement, and healthcare to lobby state legislatures.
According to an article by N.P.R., even though preschool programs and numbers have improved, the quality and enrollment percentages are still uneven between states. For example, as stated in the NPR article, "Washington, D.C. spends $15,748 per child. Mississippi spends less than $2,000 per child, roughly half of what states spend on average."; this portrays an example of the disparities ranging in the current preschool programs as well as why quality universal preschool should be a top priority.
While variations in implementation are numerous, state-funded pre-k consistently offer programs on a voluntary basis for children and families, unlike compulsory elementary, which is mandated by law with exceptions to allow for homeschooling and alternative education. Variations include how states deal with the following pre-k implementation elements: 
Supporters of publicly funded preschool for all children cite research that shows:
Economic Advantages.
Recent studies show that the benefits of universal preschool outweigh the costs. A 2005 longitudinal study of 123 3 and 4-year-old black children conducted a cost-benefit analysis, reports that for every $1 invested in preschool education, there is a return on the investment of $12.90. Advantages of universal preschool for the child also include higher reading scores for low-income students. According to research from Dartmouth College, universal preschool programs boost low-income children's reading scores more than targeted preschool programs (e.g., Head Start). The study finds that the difference in reading scores is large enough to conclude that universal preschool is more productive than targeted preschool. Other research supports the Dartmouth College study's findings. Barnett and Frede's (2010) extensive research in early childhood education found that because students learn from each other, disadvantaged students learn more if their classmates are socioeconomically diverse. Additionally, a study out of Tulsa that compared Head Start and a state-funded (i.e., universal) preschool program found that the universal program is more effective in improving literacy outcomes and attentiveness.
Policymaking Considerations.
As the topic of universal preschool gains momentum in the United States, policymakers will be involved in designing preschool programs. Many researchers are concerned that once state governments get involved, preschool programs will focus on academic skills rather than the comprehensive developmental needs of children. Because of the rich diversity in schools, researchers caution against using a 'one-size fits all' policy for developing universal preschool programs. Researchers recommend that policymakers consider the diverse perspectives of the primary stakeholders (i.e., children and educators) when developing policy for high-quality preschools. Research performed by Celia Genishi can aid policymakers in developing culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate high-quality preschool programs. Genishi's research considers the diverse classroom and students as the 'norm' and stresses the importance of the context of learning. Researchers suggest that policymakers examine a variety of research studies and create systems that are responsive to student diversity so that we can better serve all children.