Benefits of Preschool Education

W. Steven Barnett, Director

National Institute for Early Education Research Rutgers—The State University of New Jersey

For further information go to our website:

www.nieer.org

Preschool’s Benefits

Increased Achievement Test Scores Improved Behavior and Attitudes Decreased Grade Retention Decreased Special Education Decreased Crime & Delinquency Increased High School Graduation

Three Exemplary Studies

High/Scope Perry Preschool– a half-day program on a small scale in the Ypsilanti, MI public schools

True Experiment, n=123, follow-up to age 27

Abecedarian educational child care– a full-day year-round program in Chapel Hill, NC

True Experiment, n=111, follow-up to age 21

Chicago-Child Parent Centers (CPC)– a half-day program on a large scale in the Chicago public schools

Quasi-Experimental, n=1286, follow-up to age 18-21

Perry Preschool IQ Over Time

80

96 95

91 92

88 88

85

79

86 87 87 87

83 84

75

80

85

90

95

100

Entry 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Age

IQ

Program group No-program group

Perry Preschool: Educational Effects

45%

15%

34%

66%

49%

15%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Graduated from highschool on time

Age 14 achievementat 10th %ile +

Special Education(Cog.)

Program groupNo-program group

Perry: Arrests Per Person by Age 27

1.5

0.7

2.5

1.2

0.6

0.5 2.3 arrests

4.6 arrests

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0

No program

Program

Felony Misdemeanor Juvenile

Perry: Economic Benefits at Age 27

20%

13%

7%

41%

36%

29%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Never on welfare asadult

Own home

Earn $2,000 +monthly

Program group

No-program group

Abecedarian IQ Scores Over Time

75

80

85

90

95

100

6.5 8 12 15 21

Age in Years

Mea

n S

tand

ardi

zed

Sco

re

Control Treated

80

85

90

95

100

105

8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22

AGE (Years)

RE

AD

ING

SC

OR

E

TREATMENT

CONTROL

Abecedarian Reading Ach. Over Time

80

85

90

95

100

105

8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22

AGE (Years)

MA

TH

SC

OR

ES

TREATMENT

CONTROL

Abecedarian Math Achievement Over Time

Abecedarian : Academic Benefits

13%

51%

55%

48%

36%

67%

31%

25%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

4 Yr College

HS Graduation

Grade Repeater

Special Education

Program groupNo-program group

Abecedarian: Benefits to Mothers and Children

40%

55%

58%

67%

39%

70%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Skilled Job or HigherEducation at age 21

Smoker at age 21

Teen Moms Self-Supporting

Program groupNo-program group

CPC Academic Benefits

36%

25%

39%

49%

24%

14%

50%

62%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Grade Repetition

Special Education

HS Graduation

HS Grad or GED

Program groupNo-program group

CPC Social Benefits

25%

15%

17%

17%

9%

10%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Juvenile Arrest

Juvenile Arrest--Violent Crime

Reported ChildAbuse or Neglect

Program groupNo-program group

Perry: Economic Return to the Public(excludes $20,000 in economic benefits to participants)

$3K

$6K $9K $13K $58K $88,433

$12,356

$0 $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000 $100,000

Costs

Benefits

$7 return for every dollar invested

Welfare Special educationTaxes on earnings Justice systemCrime victims Preschool

Abecedarian: Economic Return

$7K$47K $50K $6K $12K

$143,674

$44,092 (preK & college)

$0 $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000 $100,000 $120,000 $140,000

Costs

Benefits

Education Maternal EarningsParticipant Earnings Future GenerationsSmoking Health Preschool

CPC: Economic Return

$5K $28K $13K $2K

$6,692

$47,759

$0 $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000

Costs

Benefits

Education Human ServicesParticipant Earnings CrimeChild Care Preschool

Cost – Benefit Analysis of Preschool for Disadvantaged Children

Cost Benefit to

Society

Perry Preschool: $12,000 $108,000 Abecedarian: $35,864 $136,000 CPC: $7,000 $ 48,000

All three studies find that economic benefits from intensive, high-quality programs to taxpayers and participants combined far exceed the cost of high-quality programs (comparable to the cost of public education generally).

Education Challenges

Many Children Start School with Significant Academic Disadvantages

Many Social and Emotional Problems Are Evident Prior to School Entry

High School Graduation Declined 40 Years

College Graduation Rate Flat for 25 Years

Middle Class Children At Risk Too

Middle class children have fairly high rates of academic problems preschool reduces for low-income children.

Reducing these problems could generate large benefits.

Income Retention DropoutLowest 20% 17% 23%20-80% 12% 11%Highest 20% 8% 3%

Source:US Department of Education, NCES (1997). Dropout rates in the United States: 1995. Figures are multi-year averages.

Most Children Attend Preschool

Enrollment at Ages 3 and 4 by Mothers' Labor Force Status

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

% of 3 and 4 year oldsenrolled w' mothers inlabor force

% of 3 and 4 year oldswith mothers not in thelabor force

Preschool Attendance by Mother’s Education

52%64%

73%82%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

< HSGrad

HS GradSome Coll BA +

Mother's Education Level

Preschool Classroom Quality is Too Low

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Qu

alit

y sc

ores

(E

CE

RS

)

Urban NJ- Year 1

Urban NJ- Year 2

Atlanta,Boston,Detroit,Phoenix,Seattle

Indiana NorthCarolina

GA, MA,VA

CA, CO,CT, NC

GeorgiaPre-K

HeadStart

Germany Portugal Spain

Good

Minimal

Excellent

Child Care Teacher Literacy is Low

90%

9%

1%

56%

31%

13%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Adequate Literacy

Weak Literacy

Very Poor Literacy

Child Care WorkersAll Teachers

Conclusions

Preschool produces cognitive and social emotional gains for children (at least disadvantaged)

Quality preschool education can be a good economic investment

Most 3-4 year old children already attend some type of classroom

Access and quality must be improved if society is to obtain the returns