Des Moines Register reporter Megan Hawkins last week provided a comprehensive, timely overview of the status of preschool programs in Iowa and in the Des Moines suburbs. Her anecdotal lead focused on a 4-year-old named Miguel who when he started in preschool did not speak English. A year later, he was performing in a school play, in English. Hawkins also reported the Des Moines district had a long list of children waiting to get in.

On Tuesday, the Des Moines paper ran an editorial urging more state spending on high-quality pre-kindergarten, citing Hawkins' article, and pointing out that a lack of "wrap-around" services prevents many families from taking advantage of the programs of limited duration. Also on Tuesday, the Democrats in the state legislature proposed spending $15 million to expand pre-k programs.

That's results. The issue of low-quality programs and limited access are relevant nationwide and journalists can raise awareness with their coverage.