Strategies
What Can Policymakers Do?
· Increase Quality Early Care and Education. High
quality early education programs that support the full range of children’s development show long-term positive effects on child wellbeing and later school success. [i]
· Improve K-3 academic success.
The benefits of high quality early childhood experiences are undermined if children are subsequently exposed to low quality early elementary education (grades K-3). [ii] Emerging research is pointing policymakers toward more effective practices and policies to enhance K-3 learning opportunities and ensure that gains made from early childhood investments continue into K-12.
· Support and strengthen vulnerable families. Child development and long term child outcomes are impaired when parents are unable to provide nutritious meals, stimulating home and child care environments, and stable living situations.
[iii]
· Increase access to health care.
Children’s health is directly related to school performance at all levels. Preventive and developmental health services positively affect children’s health trajectories. Low-income young children are particularly vulnerable to factors causing poor health outcomes.
Economic Benefits
Supporting a system to achieve early academic success is a vital economic development strategy. One state’s analysis shows that e very
dollar invested in a targeted
pre-K program
will yield $2.32 million in future savings. Offering pre-K to all children can return savings of more than $100 million to the state (over participating children’s lifetimes up to 65 years of age). [iv]
Another study found that quality early childhood programs targeting low-income children save $2.36 per dollar invested, HIPPY (Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters) saves $1.80 for every dollar, Parents as Teachers saves $1.23 and the Nurse Family Partnership for low-income women saves $2.88. [v]
[i]
Takanishi and Bogard, “Effective Educational Programs for Young Children.”
[ii]
Currie, J. and Thomas, D.(2000). School quality and the longer-term effects of Head Start.
Journal of Human Resources, 35
(4):755-774; Lee, V.E. and Loeb, S. (1995). Where do Head Start attendees end up? One reason why preschool effects fade out. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis
, 17
(1):62-82
[iii]
Center on the Developing Child at
Harvard University (2007). A Science-Based Framework for Early Childhood Policy: Using Evidence to Improve Outcomes in Learning, Behavior, and Health for Vulnerable Children. Retrieved January 6, 2009. Web site:
http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu
[v]
Aos, S., Lieb, J., Mafiels, M., Miller, M., and Pennucci, A. (2004).
Benefits and cost of prevention and early intervention programs for youth.
Olympia : Washington State Institute for Public Policy. Web site:
www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/04-07-3901.pdf
.