Longitudinal Studies

(source information)

Cognitive
(IQ)

Behavioral
(delinquency, crime)

Sociability
(teacher and parent ratings)

Educational
(achievement, high school graduation, special education, grade retention)

External Benefits to Society
(reduced welfare use, greater incomes

and more taxes generated)

Benefit-Cost Ratio

Does prekindergarten improve school preparation and performance?
(2007) Magnuson et al.

positive effects on cognitive skills that fade after first grade but are more persistent for disadvantaged children

increased aggressive behavior seen for pre-kindergarten participation

increased aggressive behavior seen in pre-kindergarten participants

improved math and reading skills seen for pre-kindergarten participants

Comparative benefit-cost analysis of the Abecedarian program and its policy implications
(2007) Barnett & Masse

positive effects on IQ were seen through age 21

no statistically significant effect on crime

reduced grade retention; reduced special education enrollment; increased HS completion; higher rate of 4 year college attendance

reduced welfare use; higher lifetime earnings for program participants; greater labor force participation by mothers of program participants

2.5 to 1 benefit-cost ratio for Abecedarian program

Benefits and costs of investments in preschool education: Evidence for the Child-Parent Centers and related programs
(2007) Temple & Reynolds

mentions "cognitive advantage" provided by Child-Parent Centers

reduced crime

Child Parent Centers:

reduced grade retention, increased high school completion rates

reduced crime costs; higher earnings for program participants

benefit-cost ratios for Child-Parent Centers range from 5.98 to 1 to 10.15 to 1

The Benefits and Costs of Head Start

(2007) Ludwig, Jens & Deborah Phillips

positive effects for

ages 3 and 4

implies that there would be positive impacts on test scores and reduced grade retention

“plausible case that

short-term effects on achievement scores might be large enough for Head Start to pass a benefit-cost test”

Long-term benefits to society are estimated to be positive.

The High/Scope Perry Preschool Program: Cost-Benefit Analysis Using Data from the Age-40 Follow-up
(2006) Belfield et al.

lower crime rates for

program participants

increased educational achievement for program participants

increased tax revenue from increased wages; reduced societal costs due to crime; mixed effects of welfare use

12.9 to 1 benefit-cost ratio (benefits to general

public divided by cost

of program)

Early Intervention and Juvenile

Delinquency Prevention: Evidence from the Chicago Longitudinal Study
(2006) Mann & Reynolds

reduced juvenile

delinquency seen for

Child-Parent Centers

Head Start Impact Study

First Year Findings
(2005) Westat, Urban Institute

and others

small positive effects on

some test measures.

improvement in problem behaviors, but no significant effects for other social measures

Sustained Effects of High Participation in an Early Intervention for Low-Birth-Weight Premature Infants
(2003) Hill et al.

positive and

lasting IQ effects

no statistically significant effects on behavioral competence

Modeling the Impacts of Child Care Quality on Children's Preschool Cognitive

(2003) NICHD Early Child Care Research Network & Greg J. Duncan

Increased cognitive test scores when family and maternal characteristics are controlled for.

child temperament used as a control variable.

one standard deviation change in quality of care-giving environment is associated with an increase in achievement scores

Age 21 Cost-Benefit Analysis of the
Title I Chicago Child-Parent Centers
(2002) Reynolds et al.

positive effects on cognitive skills seen at kindergarten entry

reduced juvenile arrests for program participants

reduced grade retention, reduced special education enrollment, increased HS completion, increased test scores

increased lifetime earnings; effects

on welfare participation were not estimated

7.14 to 1 benefit-cost ratio (measured and projected benefits);
3.85 to 1 benefit-cost ratio (only benefits to society included)

The Relation of Preschool Child-Care Quality to Children's Cognitive and Social Developmental Trajectories through Second Grade
(2001) Peisner-Feinberg et al.

positive and lasting effects

on cognitive and attention skills are seen for high

quality child care

reduced problem behavior seen in participants in high quality preschools

improved social skills for children with early relationships with caregivers

long-term improvement in language and math ability associated with high quality early childhood care

Cognitive and School Outcomes for High-Risk African-American Students at Middle Adolescence: Positive Effects of Early Intervention
(1995) Campbell & Ramey

positive and lasting

effect on IQ

no statistically significant effects of preschool on behavior or social development

improved test scores and reduced likelihood of grade retention for preschool participants

The Effects of Early Education Intervention on Maternal Employment, Public Assistance, and Health Insurance: The Infant Health Development Program
(1994) Brooks-Gunn et al.

no significant effect on maternal education

increased labor force participation

by program mothers; increased use of public assistance and health care services

Reviews and Meta-analyses

(source information)

Cognitive
(IQ)

Behavioral
(delinquency, crime)

Sociability
(teacher and parent ratings)

Educational
(achievement, high school graduation, special education, grade retention)

External Benefits to Society
(reduced welfare use, greater incomes

and more taxes generated)

Benefit-Cost Ratio

Early Childhood Education For All:
A Wise Investment
(2005) Calman & Tarr-Whelan

positive effect on IQ and achievement for Abecedarian participants

reduced crime rates seen for children receiving quality early childhood education

improved social skills

seen in children

participating in high quality early childhood care

reduced special education enrollment and grade retention, improved school readiness and language and number skills

increased earnings for program participants will lead to increased income tax revenue; decreased welfare use is also seen for program participants

up to a 13 to 1 benefit-cost ratio

The Productivity Argument for Investing
 in Young Children
(2005) Heckman & Masterov

positive effect on IQ for girls in very early intervention Abecedarian program

reduced crime and delinquency; improved behavior; motivation and

self-control

improved achievement test scores, reduced grade retention and special education enrollment, increased high school graduation rates

increased employment and reduced welfare dependence for participants

of some early childhood programs

benefit-cost ratios are 9

to 1 for Perry and 8 to 1

for Chicago CPC

Early Childhood Research Digest #2
What We Know about Pre-Kindergarten Outcomes for Children: The Top 10 Findings from Early Childhood Research
(2004) Adams et al.

positive IQ and developmental effects that tend to fade over time

reduced delinquency for Perry Preschool and Chicago Child Parent Centers; inconclusive results for general state programs

improved social

competence

reduced grade retention; increased graduation rates for high quality, intensive programs only

The Universal vs. Targeted Debate:
Should the United States Have

Preschool for All?
(2004) Barnett, Brown & Shore

positive effects on cognitive development seen for preschool children

reduced crime is an hypothesized effect of quality preschool

improved social development and school readiness for children in high quality preschool

mixed achievement effects; decreased grade retention

A New Framework for Assessing the Benefits of Early Education: A Working Paper by the Committee for Economic Development
(2004) Ehrlich & Kornblatt

positive IQ effects that

fade over time

reduced crime rates seen

for preschool participants

increased likelihood of healthy, socially positive behaviors in preschool participants

increased tax revenue as a result of higher wages; reduced use of welfare or other income assistance programs

Perry: 5.6 to 1 benefit-cost ratio (using 5% discount rate);

Abecedarian: 2.2 to 1 benefit-cost ratio (using 5% discount rate)

Predicting Children's Competence in the Early School Years: A Meta-Analytic Review
(2000) La Paro & Pianta

positive effect on IQ is seen for time spent in high quality child care

A Critical Meta-analysis of All Evaluations of State-Funded Preschool from 1977 to 1998: Implications for Policy, Service Delivery and Program Evaluation
(2000) Gilliam & Zigler

short-term positive effects on cognitive development

no statistically significant effects (for most programs)

no significant positive effects on social development

most evaluations show statistically significant improvement on academic achievement tests

Long-term effects of early childhood programs on cognitive and school outcomes
(1995) Barnett

large positive effects on IQ through early childhood

long-term reduced delinquency and crime

improved

socialization seen

decreased grade retention; increased HS graduation; reduced special education enrollment

reduced crime; reduced welfare use

7.2 to 1 benefit-cost ratio
(total benefits to general public divided by preschool cost)

Effects of Early Intervention on Intellectual and Academic Achievement: A Follow-Up Study of Children from Low-Income Families
(1994) Campbell & Ramey

positive and lasting effects on IQ for Abecedarian program, other programs did not show lasting IQ improvement

preschool is hypothesized to improve social development

reduced special education enrollment; reduced grade retentions

Cross-sectional studies

(source information)

Cognitive
(IQ)

Behavioral
(delinquency, crime)

Sociability
(teacher and parent ratings)

Educational
(achievement, high school graduation, special education, grade retention)

External Benefits to Society
(reduced welfare use, greater incomes

and more taxes generated)

Benefit-Cost Ratio

How much is too much? The influence of preschool centers on children's social and cognitive development
(2007) Loeb et al.

positive effects on reading and math scores

reduced delinquency for children participating in Chicago Child-Parent Centers

increased negative behavioral effects found

for preschool participants

The Effects of Universal Pre-K on

Cognitive Development
(2005) Gormley et al.

positive effects on IQ and achievement test scores

improved school readiness

improved achievement test scores

The Effectiveness of Early Head Start for 3-Year-Old Children and Their Parents: Lessons for Policy and Programs
(2005) Love et al.

positive effects for cognitive and language development

improved social-emotional development; reduced aggressive behavior

An Economic Analysis of Investments in Early Childhood Education in Massachusetts
(2004) Belfield & McEwan

reduced delinquency; reduced pregnancy rates

assumes short-term improvement in academic achievement, higher graduation rates, fewer special education placements and decreased grade retention

increased tax revenue from parents of preschool children; increased wages for program participants; reduced welfare dependency

1.18 to 1 benefit-cost ratio

Key  

Outcome significant

Outcome measured, but not significant

Outcome not measured