Caylan Watson

Salt Lake Community College

Human Growth and Development

September 23, 2017

Early Childhood Education Programs:

Does it affect children in aspects of social and economic longevity?

An infamous quote by John Ray in the English proverbs said, The early bird gets the

worm. The early bird theme continues when it comes to early childhood education,

the earlier the better. There is an unspoken belief among a general human population that

if we are investing in the childrens future that we are insuring in our future. Experts have

exchanged views on the importance of early education and potential advantage on

economy, heath, nutrition, social services, and parent child involvement. For this paper I

will dive into the benefits of early childhood education, and the general cost effectiveness

of children starting earlier.

One of the first and most prestigious programs was started in the year 1964, in a

time when poverty had overtaken the nation. President Lindon B. Johnson stood among

the American people and declared his plan to crush the War on Poverty. Johnson

committed to investing in the nations children by transforming early education system.

This set the tone and started the early education train that led to the making of the Head

Start Programs (Head Start History video/ Ridgewood PR, 2010).

 Head Start was created by a panel of experts including an educator, a doctor, and

social psychologist who agreed that education, health, nutrition and social environment

can be impacted by early education. Head Start began in 1965 with 561,000 students

ranging from 3 to 4, and predominately African American children (American Economic

Association, 2002). It expanded to serve almost three-quarters of a million African-

American and white children in the summer of 1966 at which time about $1,000 (1999

pricing) was spent on each child (Administration for Children and Families, 1999). And

of recent children in poor families and disabled children have been able enroll and it

serves 800,000 children, with a cost of around $5,400 per child (American Economic,

2002). Studies have shown that participation in Head Start is associated with short-term

benefits, as indicated by test scores (American Economic, 2002). An expert in childhood

development, James J. Heckman stated, Head Start may also be associated with the

lasting improvements in non-cognitive skills that are important for future success in life.

Data collected by the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) have been used to

test the longer term benefits of Head Start. A review of the study has shown that of the

white children that attended in Head Start are, relative to their siblings who did not,

significantly more likely to complete high school, attend college, and possibly even have

higher earning in their twenties (American Economic, 2002). African-Americans who

participated in Head Start are less likely to have been booked or charged with a crime

(American Economic, 2002). In this research article they also collaborated that it is very

possible that positive spillovers from older Head Start children to their younger siblings.
Most evidence that has given greater longitudinal study information on early childhood

education and continues to be a great positive backing to the Head Start program is The

Carolina Abecedarian Study.

The Abecedarian Study has compelling research proving the cognitive advantage

and increased learning ability of early childhood education. There are many instances this

study has validated the way early stimulation to the minds of children as young as three

months old. This study claims that the early instruction stimulation could impact that

childs life and the childs active participation in our economys growth. The

Abecedarian study used randomized trials to evaluate the effects of full-day, year-round

educational childcare provided form about 4 months of age to kindergarten entry in North

Carolina (Effectiveness of Early Educational Intervention, 2011).

This study followed 104 low-income children from program entry through age 21.

The stimulation that was used for this education that related to the 5 senses, the sight, the

sound, the touch, the taste and the smell. Babies as young as 4 months were encouraged

to play with games that related tot touch, shapes with different textures, colors and

various sounds. These were put in place to stimulate the mind of the child and to record

the information they receive from these stimulation studies. Gains of IQ averaged 1.1 of

Standard Deviation (SD) from the age 18 months to age 54 months, declined after school

entry, and remained about 0.33 SD from ages 12 through 21 (Effectiveness of Early

Educational Intervention., 2011). The effects of math were constant with higher

achievement and IQ deviations validating the effectiveness of early childhood education.

Participants also had higher rates of completing classes and not repeating grade levels.
The effectiveness also spread to other aspects of the participants lives were they found it

to be positive impact on health related behaviors and symptoms of depression.

The greatest part of the Abecedarian study is the longitudinal evidence supporting

the effectiveness of early education. In rare instances are we able to compute information

from childhood to adulthood. Given these encouraging findings from early adulthood, the

current age-30 follow-up study of the Abecedarian Project was designed to investigate

treatment effects on educational, economic and social-emotional outcomes later in

adulthood (Abecedarian Project Follow-up, 2012).

The summarized findings were the treated group had attained more years of

education at age 21, and although no significant group difference was found for the

percent completing high school by that age, those who received the early treatment were

more likely to attend a 4-year college or university (35% of the treated group compared

to 14% of the control group) (Abecedarian Project Follow-up, 2012). Those with early

childhood treatment were also more likely not to be involved in criminal activity, no

substance abuse reported, able to obtain higher social outcomes, avoid welfare needs due

to successful jobs, have higher economic standing, better mental status, and relationship

status.

As the quote must go, the early bird does get the worm. Children will prove to be

a great investment for our future. As I have researched these two great staples of

information, Head Start and the Abecedarian Study, I have been compelled to preach the

importance of early childhood education. The evidence proves the significant benefit of

early childhood education, and should be considered for policy changes in educational

schooling years, nurturing and supporting children growing our future.

 APA CITATIONS

Campbell,F.A,Pungello,E.P.,Brchinal, M, Kainz, K, Pan, Y., Wasik, B. H

Ramey, C.T.(2012). Adult outcomes as a function of an early childhood

educational program: An Abecedarian Project follow-up. Developmental Psychology,

48(4),1033-1043. Doi:10.1037/a0026644

Currie, J., & Thomas, D. (1998). School Quality and the Longer-Term Effects of

Head Start. Longer-term Effects of Head Start by the American Economic Review,

92(4),9991020.