IT'S A SKILLS road race for preschoolers, and that's hitting some Latino and African-American children hard.

The achievement gap between Latino and non-Latino students "begins before children even enter kindergarten and persists throughout the K-12 years," according to a new report from Pre-K Now, a nonprofit organization in Washington. These children face a lifelong achievement gap, making it tempting to target preschool to children who are "at-risk." But Pre-K Now calls for universal preschool that would be available to all children.

The reasoning is sound. The Latino population is growing nationally. So helping Latino children helps states meet the standards of the No Child Left Behind Act. Quieting objections to illegal immigration, the report notes that more than 90 percent of Latino children under 5 are United States citizens.

And a critical mass of school-ready children can contribute to a schoolwide environment of academic success.

In general, the more children know early on, the better they do in school over time, according to a 2002 study from the US Department of Education.

Take the ability to recognize letters. The education department study found these proficiency rates in early kindergarten: 79 percent of Asian children; 74 percent of white children; 59 percent of African-American children, and 51 percent of Latino children.

By the spring of first grade, virtually everyone had caught up. Proficiency rates were 99 or 100 percent.

But with more complex skills, it's harder to catch up. So by the spring of first grade, there's a difference in who can understand words in context. It's 62 percent of Asian children; 53 percent of white children; 41 percent of Latino children; and 34 percent of African-American children.

One solution is to imitate the practices of high-achieving Asian families. A more practical approach is universal preschool that would be open able to all children. This would save on the costs of remedial services and promote future economic prosperity.

Sadly, even when black and Latino children go to preschool, their parents are least likely to be satisfied with the programs, according to a local survey done by the nonprofit organization Strategies for Children.

State preschool systems should embrace inclusion, realizing that an "accommodation," such as bilingual teachers and Spanish-language books, can become an advantage that exposes all children to other languages.

American education shouldn't just churn out winners and losers. It should use preschool to encourage everyone's success.