1. Early Child Development Policy and Program: The First Step to Sustainable Economic Growth and Development Fifth Meeting of the Ministers of Education November 15-16, 2007 Cartagenas, Colombia Mary E. Young Human Development Network World Bank

2. Consulta de San José 2007 The best ways to improve public spending in Latin America prioritized by top-economists “If Latin America were willing to spend, say, $10 billion over the next five years on improving welfare, which projects would have the greatest benefits?” Out of the 29 specific projects identified to tackle Latin America’s biggest challenges, top priority given to: Early childhood development to meet the challenge of poverty and inequality

3. Literacy vs. Income

4. Source: OECD, UNESCO (2003) Literacy skills for the world of tomorrow, Fig. 2.5, p.76 Mean Reading Literacy of 15-year-olds

5. Education of the new generations in Latin America Source:Juan Luis Londono (1996), Poverty, Inequality and Human Capital Development in LA, 1950-2025

6. Expected Abilities Industrial Special skills Planning & implementation Navigating the bureaucracy Following the heritage Post-industrial Communications Teamwork Human relations Problem-solving Design & innovation Personal responsibility Self-management Ethics, values, principles Source: Cheng, Kai-ming, Education versus Learning: the Post-Industrial Challenge, presentation at the World Bank Human Development Forum October 31, 2006

7. WHAT DO WE NOW KNOW?

8. Findings from Neuroscience: Early Experiences Shape… Brain architecture Neurochemistry Gene expression Cognitive + Emotional + Social Behavior Prerequisite for a healthy, competent, tolerant population.

9. Experience and Brain Development Stimuli switch on genetic pathways that differentiate the function of billions neurons and connections (synapses) among the billions of neurons Cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional competencies are interdependent and are all shaped by early experience. Neural pathways follow a bottom up, hierarchical sequence. Later attainment build on foundations that are laid down earlier.

10. 0 1 481216 AGE Sensing Pathways (vision, hearing) Language Higher Cognitive Function 3 6 9 -3 -6 MonthsYears C. Nelson, in From Neurons to Neighborhoods, 2000 Conception Window of Opportunity - ECD

11. Literacy and Vocabulary Growth – First 3 Years High SES Middle SES Low SES 1200 600 0 12162024263236 Vocabulary Age (Months) Source: B.Hart & T. Risley. Meaningful Differences in Everyday Experiences of Young American Children, 1995.

12. Vocabulary Scores by SES quartiles in 36 to 72 month old children Ecuador age in months Source: C. Paxson, N. Schady: Cognitive development among young children in Ecuador : The roles of wealth, health and parenting, The World Bank, Policy Research Working Paper, 3605, 2005.

13. Cognitive Development Gap Source; Barnett, W. S. (2007). Original analysis of data from the US Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics, ECLS-K Base Year Data files and Electronic Codebook (2002).

14. Health and Income for Children and Adults U.S. national health interview survey 1986-1995: High Score is Bad Source: Case, Lubotsky, and Paxson (2002)

15. Impacts of Quality Early Education Increased Educational Success and Adult Productivity Achievement test scores Special education and grade repetition High school graduation Behavior problems, delinquency, and crime Employment, earnings, and welfare dependency Decreased Costs to Government Schooling costs Social services costs Crime costs Health care costs (teen pregnancy and smoking) Source: Barnett, W. S. (2002) Early childhood education. In A. Molnar (Ed.) School reform proposals: The research evidence (pp.1-26). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing

16. High/Scope Perry Preschool: Educational Effects Source; 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

17. High/Scope Perry Preschool: Economic Effects at 40 Source; 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

18. Brain Growth Rates of Return to Investment in Human Capital PreschoolSchool Post School Preschool Programs Schooling Job Training Age0 Brain Growth and Rates of Return Source: Heckman & Carneiro Human Social Policy, 2003, RAND, Benefits and Costs of Early-Childhood Interventions, A Documented Briefing, Lynn A. Karoly, Susan S. Everingham, Jill Hoube, Rebecca Kilburn, C. Peter Rydell, Matthew Sanders, Peter W. Greenwood, April, 1997

19. Messages for Policymakers Child Development – early experience shapes brain architecture, determines all future learning, behavior and health outcomes later in life Effective - Cost Efficiency - save money in the long run because they prevent problems before they start and reduce later needs for special education and other remedial measures. Economics - the need for different skill sets in the 21st century.

20. Implement an Overall ECD Strategy  Intervene early, often and effectively  Allocate sufficient resources  Ensure relevant training New generation competent in the understanding of human development  Build systems, not just projects. Emphasize equity, sustainability, and population health.  Monitor and evaluate. Measure child development outcomes

21. Monitoring Child Development Outcomes  Building monitoring systems  Collecting population- based child outcome data

23. How Are Other Nations Improving Their Children’s Outcomes?

24. Child Development Program in Singapore Inter-Ministerial Committee Health, Education, Community Development, Youth and Sports Overall policy directions & funding, Service guidelines & Coordination, and Professional standards Director, Child Development Program Ministry of Health Child Development Unit National Healthcare Group Child Development Unit Singapore Health Services

25. Cuba ECD Programs: Initial Link Strong National Institutions Formal Sector Local Capacity Non Formal Sector Pregnancy Childcare Centers Preschool Programs Parent Programs (0 years) (0 to 5 years) (5 – 6 years)

26. French ECD System 1.Emphasis on very young children 2.Voluntary, free preschool 3.More for those with less (Educational Priority Areas (ZEP) 4.Integration of all children 5.Quality standards and accountability 6.Highly trained and well-paid teachers 7.Secure funding and infrastructure

27. Public and Private Partnerships New Zealand Centers must comply with minimum licensing standards. Bulk funding: per-child funding based on a sliding scale. Demand-side financing: seed fund to develop services through grants, offer loans to ECD teachers, and supplement incomes to pay for ECD fees.

28. South Australia – Coordinated Early Childhood Policies Legislative reform to integrate Education Act and Children’s Services Acts Creating a Birth through Age 17, Education and Childhood Development System Government collect child development outcome (EDI) data across state every 3 years

29. Sweden - Continuum of Services Children Birth to 7 Birth15243 6 yrs Paternal Leave Pre-school programs Preschool Class After school childcare

30. Brain Growth Rates of Return to Investment in Human Capital PreschoolSchoolPost School Preschool Programs Schooling Job Training Age 0 Brain Growth and Rates of Return Source: Heckman & Carneiro Human Social Policy, 2003, RAND, Benefits and Costs of Early-Childhood Interventions, A Documented Briefing, Lynn A. Karoly, Susan S. Everingham, Jill Hoube, Rebecca Kilburn, C. Peter Rydell, Matthew Sanders, Peter W. Greenwood, April, 1997 Sweden’s Public Expenditure for Children 0-17 age old Ultimate Goal!! Source: S. Bremberg (2006), National Institute of Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

31. 02-056 Policies to Foster Quality Human Capital "We cannot afford to postpone investing in children until they become adults nor can we wait until they reach school - a time when it may be too late to intervene." Heckman, J., 2001 (Nobel Prize Economics, 2000)