Does Preschool Education Do More Harm Than Good? Steve Barnett, NIEER, Rutgers University
AGENDA FOR TODAY Why should we even consider public investment in early education? Why do some say publicly funded preschool is a failure or worse, harmful? How can we improve the odds of success?
¼ of young children in poverty, nearly ½ low income creating an education and achievement gap before K
Academic Abilities at K-Entry by Family Income Barnett, Brown, and Shore 2004
Social Skills at K Entry by Family Income Barnett, Brown, and Shore 2004
To what extent can pre-K change this situation? Why do some say it makes things worse?
Current Preschool Landscape Enrollment and Policy Most children go to preschool, at least at age 4 Participation is lowest for children of least educated Most preschool is public (nearly 60%) Public spending $20 billion: $9.6 billion for Head Start and at least that much again for state & local including special educ. Research Some studies show positive effects, some negative Head Start and EHS no lasting impacts in RCT TN only RCT of state pre-K with follow up, negative effects LT Universal child care in Quebec, negative effects on behavior Subsidized child care in US, modest negative effects at least ST Over the last 25 years, hundreds of studies have produced evidence of the impacts of early education on learning and development. Many of these have found long-term impacts on outcomes that include: achievement test scores, rates of special education and repeating grades because of failure, completion of secondary school and post-secondary education. Long-term effects have been found for social development including reductions in classroom behavior problems, delinquency, and crime. These developmental results translate into very long improvements: increased employment and earnings, decreased dependence on public welfare, decreases in risky behaviors like teen pregnancy, smoking and drug use, and improved mental health. These improvements in development and adult success have implications for public expenditures resulting in cost savings in education, social services, the criminal justice system, and health care. Of course, it is not just the government cost savings that are important, but the improvements in the quality of life.
55 Years Ago: the Perry Preschool study Program Half-day preschool in public school at ages 3 and 4 One highly qualified teacher per 6 children Weekly home visits with one-on-one tutoring Research Randomized trial begun in 1962 N = 128 Follow-up from 3 to 40 Minimal attrition through age 40 Benefit-cost analysis of program impacts Over the last 25 years, hundreds of studies have produced evidence of the impacts of early education on learning and development. Many of these have found long-term impacts on outcomes that include: achievement test scores, rates of special education and repeating grades because of failure, completion of secondary school and post-secondary education. Long-term effects have been found for social development including reductions in classroom behavior problems, delinquency, and crime. These developmental results translate into very long improvements: increased employment and earnings, decreased dependence on public welfare, decreases in risky behaviors like teen pregnancy, smoking and drug use, and improved mental health. These improvements in development and adult success have implications for public expenditures resulting in cost savings in education, social services, the criminal justice system, and health care. Of course, it is not just the government cost savings that are important, but the improvements in the quality of life. Barnett, W. S. (1996) Lives in the balance: Age 27 benefit-cost analysis of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program.
IQ Over Time
Perry IQ and Achievement Effects over Time
High/Scope Perry Preschool: Educational Effects Berrueta-Clement, J.R., Schweinhart, L.J., Barnett, W.S., Epstein, A.S., & Weikart, D.P. (1984). Changed lives: The effects of the Perry Preschool Program on youths through age 19. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press. 11
Perry Preschool: Crime Effects at 40 Schweinhart, L. J., Montie, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W. S., Belfield, C. R., & Nores, M. (2005). Lifetime effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool study through age 40 (Monographs of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, 14). Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation. 12
Perry Preschool: Economic Effects at 40 Schweinhart, L. J., Montie, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W. S., Belfield, C. R., & Nores, M. (2005). Lifetime effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool study through age 40 (Monographs of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, 14). Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation. 13
Meta-Analysis of US preschool programs 0-5 Impacts in 123 studies since 1960 Camilli et al., 2010
Achievement impacts for Head Start 3 year olds Program period
Cognitive impacts in 67 ECE studies
WHAT EXPLAINS THE RESULTS? OUTLIERS CREATED UNREALISITIC EXPECTATIONS THE COUNTERFACTUAL HAS CHANGED SCHOOLS WORK HARD TO CATCH UP THOSE WHO ARE BEHIND LIFE IS BETTER (PARENTS BETTER EDUCATED, MORE ECE OPPORTUNITIES) DESIGN FAILURE IMPLEMENTATION FAILURE Over the last 25 years, hundreds of studies have produced evidence of the impacts of early education on learning and development. Many of these have found long-term impacts on outcomes that include: achievement test scores, rates of special education and repeating grades because of failure, completion of secondary school and post-secondary education. Long-term effects have been found for social development including reductions in classroom behavior problems, delinquency, and crime. These developmental results translate into very long improvements: increased employment and earnings, decreased dependence on public welfare, decreases in risky behaviors like teen pregnancy, smoking and drug use, and improved mental health. These improvements in development and adult success have implications for public expenditures resulting in cost savings in education, social services, the criminal justice system, and health care. Of course, it is not just the government cost savings that are important, but the improvements in the quality of life.
Add contact info and/or acknoweldgements? Working together we can improve early learning to enhance the well being and development of all children
KEY LESSONS Programs must be designed & implemented to produce large initial gains Gains must be big enough to cross thresholds and change expectations for achievement, etc. Effective programs: Focus on intentional teaching Individualize: 1-on-1 & small groups Use strong curriculum with specificity Deliver a “big” dose relative to counterfactual Scale-up is a political will & capacity problem
An Example: New Jersey’s HQ UPK High expectations Adequate funding Strong teachers Small classes Two years, FD Other supports for children and teachers
Continuous Improvement Cycle Develop Early Learning and Program Standards Analyze and Plan Pilot Improvements Implement/ Assess Progress Measure and
Elements of a CIS: the GPS for Quality Preschool Program Guidelines and Code Preschool Teaching & Learning Standards Rigorous curriculum strongly supported Assessment: state, district, teacher, child Self-assessment and validation system Professional development driven by data
Change in SAVS Scores 03-04 to 04-05 40% 50% 10 % 63% 37% 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 1.5-1.9 2.0-2.4 2.5-3.0 Total Mean SAVS Scores Number of Districts 03-04 04-05
Transformation of Quality in Abbott Pre-K (ECERS-R) ADD 2004-2005
NJ Effects on Achievement Grades 4 and 5
NJ Effects on Retention & Special Education at Grade 5
Early Education Pathways to Adult Outcomes Cognitive: Increased knowledge, skills, and achievement Increase child’s motivation and positive attitudes for learning Early Childhood Education Programs Social: Improved behavior, peer relations, teacher relationships Increase child’s “academic” abilities Health: better mental and physical health, increased attendance and engagement Improve executive functions (planning, attention, short term memory) Family: supportive home environments both cognitive and social emotional (less abuse and neglect, less exposure to violence outside home) Higher educational attainment, less special education and delayed school progress Cognitive, social, emotional, exec. functions, health Increased income Decreased risky behavior, crime, violence Better child & adult health, lower care costs Intervention Intermediate Outcomes Recommendation Outcomes
What road will we choose going forward What road will we choose going forward? The road to high quality is far less traveled