Head Start Preschool Program
Do the effects of high-quality preschool programs persist or fade out by third grade?
NO. Research has found that despite some decline in effects after children entered school, on average effects did not disappear and remained substantial.Cognitive gains from preschool programs were larger when programs focused on intentional and individualized teaching and small group learning. Programs with these features produced long-term cognitive effects equivalent to one half or more of the achievement gap through the end of high school.
Long-term effects
- Gains in achievement and in social-emotional development
- Less grade repetition and special education
- Increased high school graduation
- The average long-term cognitive effect is about half the size of the average initial effect, suggesting that relatively large initial effects are required to produce substantial long-term gains
What about the President’s statement that “Every dollar we invest in high-quality early childhood education can save more than seven dollars later on”?
Research suggests this is ACCURATE.“The study most relevant to this is the Chicago Longitudinal Study, which reported a $7.14 to $1 benefit-cost ratio. The Chicago pre-K programs in this study were similar to current state pre-K programs in design and cost, incorporating the features of high quality listed by the President’s proposal. Run by Chicago public schools they served thousands of children, hardly a ‘hot house’ program. Their effects on achievement at kindergarten entry are similar in size to those found for Oklahoma’s universal pre-K program. When the economic analysis was updated based on more recent follow-up data, the estimated rate of return for these Chicago preschools rose to about $11 to $1.
The similarity in initial effects between Chicago and Oklahoma alone might justify applying the more conservative $7 to $1 figure. However, other studies, including the frequently mentioned Perry Preschool Program study, also provide evidence. Although it was a small, relatively expensive program serving disadvantaged children, it nevertheless demonstrates that high-quality pre-K yields a high return and establishes the links between initial program impacts and long-term outcomes like greater school success, reduced crime and delinquency, and increased earnings over a lifetime. These same outcomes (though often smaller in size) were observed in the larger Chicago study. A series of benefit-cost analyses of Perry have produced much higher estimated returns, up to $16 to $1.
Overall: taking into consideration these and other studies, the $7 to $1 figure is a reasonable estimate for the returns to public investment in one year of high-quality pre-K under the Administration’s pre-K proposal.
Information provided by the National Institute for Early Education Research’s Fast Facts Summary Sheet