To fund or not to fund. Is that the question?

Early Stories' Richard Lee Colvin posted on an article from Roanoke that discussed the obstacles and benefits of preschool.
On the front lines of preschool in Virginia my personal experience has shown me that the great deterrent to using preschool services is transportation. Many students who would attend do not because parents must provide transportation to and from school. Also in areas where there is more need there are is the lowest concentration of openings. One way to address the unused slots is to make the process easier and to use other Gov. services to recommend and channel children in to programs. What if when a parent applied for TANIF or WIC they also were able to apply for preschool? The closer that preschool is aligned with vital services that at-risk families do jump through hoops for, the more likely they are to receive preschool services. We are at a critical point in Virginia where we have to decide if we want the best for kids and our future. If we make that decision purely based on funding issues we will short change ourselves.