It was an invitation-only crowd Friday night for Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher's first substantial conversation on education reform, but what we heard was enough to whet our appetite.

We liked the mix of people he had at the table, from preschool experts to university presidents. The roots of underachievement start early, so college administrators really do have a vested interest in the educational experiences of preschoolers, and early childhood educators should see their work as the foundation for all future learning. Fletcher took a big step simply by getting everybody at the same table.

We were also impressed with the topics the governor put on that table. He brought up statewide, all-day kindergarten, an ambitious and sometimes costly proposition that can nevertheless make a real difference for students who enter school developmentally behind. He emphasized teacher preparation and, with it, realistically raised the issue of increasing teacher pay. He also made the case for tracking student progress from year to year. Strong instruction and reliable data are crucial to making any reform effective - and cost-effective.

As he has since his election, the governor advocated for higher expectations for state universities. He wants to see world-class research come out of Kentucky universities, and he wants college coursework aligned to both high school curricula and to the needs and expectations of the workplace. While some of those research efforts may be targeted at the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville, a Fletcher aide assures us that the governor sees Northern Kentucky as "a vital economic engine" and a prosperous Northern Kentucky University as the fuel to make it go.

In his presentation, Fletcher shared both a vision and rationale for educational reform. Only 15 of every 100 Kentucky ninth-graders graduate from college, and 35 of that 100 don't graduate high school. Kentucky's poverty rate has grown by 3 percent in two years. Its unemployment is significantly higher than the national average.

Finding funds to make these reforms happen is the obstacle Fletcher must hurdle. He made a start by outlining a product Kentuckians will want to buy.