Abundant evidence has shown that quality early childhood programs generate enormous long-term benefits for young people as they grow to become productive adults, for our economy, and for society. But we don't have to wait 10 or 20 years to see strong returns on our investments in young children. Some programs create real savings in a year or less. Early education also improves third-grade scores, and children who do not read well by the end of 3rd grade are 4 times more likely to drop out. This brief documents three kinds of programs that have both near-term and sustained impact.
- Authorizing Institution
- America's Promise Alliance
- Education Level
- ['Early Childhood Education', 'Preschool Education']
- Location
- ['Australia', 'Illinois', 'Louisiana', 'Michigan', 'New Jersey', 'Pennsylvania', 'United States', 'Utah']
- Peer Reviewed
- F
- Publication Type
- Reports - Descriptive
- Published in
- United States of America
Table of Contents
- Abundant evidence has shown that quality early childhood programs generate enormous long-term benefits for young people as they grow to become productive adults for our economy and for society. 1
- Early education also improves third-grade scores and children who do not read well by the end of 3rd grade are 4 times more likely to drop out. 1
- By reducing child abuse and neglect by up to 80 home visiting programs can save states some of the 33 billion in annual medical legal and other costs associated with these problems. 1
- Parents in the NFP program saw an 82 increase in the number of months employed while the time they received welfare benefits shrank by 30 months. 1
- In a Pennsylvania program the percentage of children with developmental delays a predictor of special education fell from 21 at entry to 8 at program graduation. 2
- Louisianas LA4 program reduced by up to 33 the number of children who had to repeat kindergarten and cut by nearly half the need for special education placement through second grade. 2
- In New Jersey children who attended the Abbott Preschool Program at ages 3 and 4 were half as likely to be held back by second grade. 2
- Children who attended the Chicago Child-Parent Centers were half as likely to experience child abuse and neglect compared to nonparticipants. 2
- Preventive efforts to decrease instances of asthma in children can reduce the number of missed work days for parents of at-risk children by up to 50 and school absenteeism by 41. 2
- Graduates of the Chicago Child-Parent Centers had 35 less grade retention and 26 less special education placement than their third-grade peers. 2
- Children who benefited as infants from a quality nurse-home visiting program show increased math and reading scores through the third grade. 2
- ReadyNation has worked in 30 states to help build business coalitions that support evidence-based programs and policies in support of early childhood. 2
