Finding reliable childcare has long been a challenge for many working parents. Now, researchers say children as young as 3 years old need care that includes education to ensure success.

"When families are poor, they're less likely to have stable incomes. They're less likely to have the type of housing and safety needs that are required to raise families. They're less likely to have access to just basic health," said Portia Kennel, Ounce of Prevention Fund.

Portia Kennel's idea to support those families came to life six years ago as EduCarec a South Side facility that blends early education with reliable child care. It has become a model across the country.

"We have eight classrooms of children, birth to 3, and five classrooms of preschool children, 3 to 5," Kennel said. "We have Bachelor degreed teachers in every room."

Under Governor Rod Blagojevich's "Preschool for All Plan," a free half-day program would require certified teachers. If the plan is approved, it would cost $45 million a year for the next three years. Critics say the state is already over-budget.

"The governor has made a number of proposals that involve fee increases, taxing some software, but none of these are deadlocks," said Ralph Martire, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. "If we don't pass new revenue sources like these, then there really isn't revenue coverage in the existing system to fund it."

But consider this: a recent long-term study that followed low-income 3 and 4 year olds who participated in a high-quality early education program found that at age 40, they were more likely to have a job and earn higher wages. They were less likely to have committed crimes, and were more likely to have graduated from high school. Citing findings like these, preschool advocates ask, How can taxpayers afford not to fund it?

"Seventy percent of families over the $80,000 a year range already have their children in preschool. They know the benefits. It's up to us not to deny that opportunity to all children in the state of Illinois," said Harriet Meyer, co-chair of the Illinois Early Learning Council.

One suggestion for raising revenue to pay for preschool and other programs is to tax consumer services, such as haircuts and dry cleaning.

The governor's opponent, Republican Judy Baar Topinka says, while she supports expanding preschool, she is concerned how Blagojevich would pay for his plan.