Tapping the latest brain research on toddlers, states have picked up the pace on establishing and expanding opportunities for early childhood education. Idaho, sadly, is one of 11 states with no state-sponsored programs. In just the last year, the governor took the state backward when he canceled funding for the Parents As Teachers program. Plus, the Legislature rebuffed an attempt to allow districts to offer preschool.

So what’s the buzz elsewhere? It’s that preparing 3- and 4-year-olds to be good learners pays big dividends. The children are more likely to be law-abiding. More likely to graduate from high school. More likely to get a college degree. More likely to earn a decent salary.

That’s a lot of benefits for recipients, but what about those footing the considerable start-up bills associated with high quality preschools? The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis study cites a range of $3 to $9 saved for every dollar spent. Early childhood education saves money on prisons, law enforcement and remedial education programs. Plus, it delivers a more productive work force. In many states, the driving force behind early learning is the business community. Washington state has reacted by establishing a Cabinet-level position on early learning and expanding preschool slots.

The learning gap between students is showing up in kindergartens. Students who have not attended a good preschool and whose parents have not prepared them for learning can be as much as 18 months behind counterparts who have. The gap, according to several long-term studies, is not likely to disappear.

The argument from Idaho leaders is that it is not a wealthy state. And, besides, when did this become the purview of government? But conservative Oklahoma is also a relatively poor state and it hasn’t succumbed to the misguided notion that the government does not have an interest in early education. Ten years ago, the state agreed to pay for one year of pre-kindergarten. Currently, 70 percent of eligible 4-year-olds are enrolled, making it the best attended program in the country.

It’s important to understand what a huge step this is. States are employing research-based curricula taught by certified instructors with bachelor’s degrees. The challenge is to give toddlers the skills many of us take for granted: sitting still, working in groups, taking turns and being respectful and comfortable around adults. This is not day care.

There’s a wealth of information on this topic, and lawmakers ought to tap into it. Education officials and business leaders can be expected to ramp up their efforts in the next Legislative session in Boise. For the sake of the state and its children, let’s hope legislators can close their own learning gap.