"By their very nature, early childhood programs are difficult to assess," says TC faculty member Sharon Lynn Kagan, Task Force Chair and the College's Associate Dean for Policy Teachers College, Columbia University. "Preschool programs are not yet part of a unified education system and are subject to a variety of federal and state standards, policies and assessment requirements. On top of that, states have limited resources, in light of the costs of providing high-quality programs, as well as the funds needed for careful evaluation of programs and appropriate assessments of young children."