Quality early education is a game-changer, with a proven track record of reducing educational disparities that would otherwise hold back disadvantaged students. But the high cost of private pre-Kindergarten – about the same as annual tuition at a public university – and insufficient federal investments in Head Start puts quality early education out of reach for millions of children. First Focus advocates a federal-state partnership, modeled on the successful Children’s Health Insurance Program, which would improve both quality and affordability.