Edweek's ace pre-k reporter Linda Jacobsen has a roundup of current action to expand state spending on preschool. (I'm having trouble logging in but the story is at www.edweek.org, under pre-k). New Massachusetts Gov. Deval L. Patrick favors a $100 million downpayment on what advocates say they hope will eventually be a $500 million statewide program. Arkansas, Connecticut, and New York look like they'll be boosting pre-k spending this year too. Jacobsen says the national debate over whether such programs should be universal or targeted to poor kids continues. Margaret Blood of Strategies for Children in Boston "agrees that the research is still mixed on the benefits of public preschools for middle-class children." Steffanie Clothier of the National Conference of State Legislatures says sliding scale fees might be the way to go, financially as well as politically.