We applaud Upshur County for joining the growing ranks of public school systems investigating or operating preschool programs.

School board members recently approved three recommendations that include the possibility of adding a preschool component to the county's education plan.

Noting many other states are already heavily involved in public preschool, area educators say these experiences can be key to early childhood development. Early mastery of skills such as socializing and preparation for academic learning can help prepare children for a more successful school career.

We agree.

West Virginia consistently ranks low in a number of educational measurements, including college attendance and graduation.

Solid preschool programming that can help target these educational deficiencies from nearly the beginning is an excellent investment of the public's time and tax dollars.

Taylor, Randolph, Harrison, Doddridge, Barbour, Marion and Lewis counties already offer some form of pre-school.

We would like to see more and encourage area school systems to explore their options.

Today's editorial is a reflection of the opinion of the Exponent editorial board, which is comprised of James G. Logue, Kevin S. Courtney, Patrick M. Martin, Nora Edinger and J. Cecil Jarvis.