Public access to preschool is one of the few issues in our polarized society that enjoys bipartisan public support. Yet, despite wide scale backing for early education, in practice universal access to preschool has consistently failed to find form. As of 2021, only three states offer truly universal access to preschool programs (UPK) to all four-year-olds. In 2020, only 1/3 of 4-yearolds were enrolled in state-funded preschool programs. Which suggests the question: if everyone loves UPK

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... , why haven't more states embraced them? The literature has emphasized the role of elected officials, advocacy groups, and unions in leading the charge on lobbying for universal preschool. Thus, the present study poses the research question, "How do state level actors influence the adoption of state level Universal Pre-K (UPK) programs?" This study examines the level of influence of these actors in the adoption process of UPK at the state level. It includes a mixed methods study utilizing case studies of three state UPK programs with varying degrees of access, as well as discourse analysis of elected officials' budget, union, and advocacy documents. Utilizing the social construction and policy design theory (Schneider and Ingram, 2005) , the study finds that attitudes and opinion on preschool policy are influenced by structural distinctions between childcare and preschool. Emerging preschool programs frequently conflate early education with child minding, creating a barrier to access to universality. Findings point to significant presence of advocacy groups at all levels of preschool access, with a direct linear relationship between access to preschool and volume of advocacy discourse by state. While the support of elected officials appears as a prerequisite to preschool adoption, the prominent role anticipated for union advocacy did not emerge as a factor. This study points to the need for coalition building between elected officials and advocates and the need to amplify union participation. Mavrides 4 Key Definitions The following key definitions will be utilized throughout this paper: Universality: The Alliance for Early Success (2021) defines a universal approach to Pre-K as "...a policy framework that gives all families with preschool-aged children the opportunity to voluntarily enroll their child in a publicly funded pre-kindergarten care and education program in a state or community." In the context of this paper, degrees of universality will be discussed. States with increased percentages of access to preschool programming have higher levels of universality than states with lower levels of universality. Mixed Delivery System: Pew Trusts ( 2006 ) defines a mixed delivery system as one that incorporates both community-based sites and school sites to provide preschool services. Incorporation of preschool programming through existing childcare infrastructure and systems (utilizing public funding) is defined as a mixed delivery system. Any program that is not exclusively housed in their own, publicly built institutions are considered implemented through mixed delivery. Established States and Emerging States: States with high levels of universality will be labeled "established" preschool programs, and states with mid-levels of universality will be labeled "emerging" preschool programs given their potential for continued growth.