Why this red state made preschool free

Universal pre-K, an ambitious social program usually championed by progressives, has been in place in one of the most conservative US states since 1998. Oklahoma’s universal pre-K program was just the second in the country (behind Georgia) and has since become a model for how these programs can boost school readiness, economic well-being, and community health.

The story of how Oklahoma enacted this big early childhood education program involves a little bit of political mischief, and a...