1. Does Preschool Education Do More Harm Than Good?
Steve Barnett, NIEER, Rutgers University

2. 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?

3. ¼ of young children in poverty, nearly ½ low income
creating an education and achievement gap before K

4. Academic Abilities at K-Entry by Family Income
Barnett, Brown, and Shore 2004

5. Social Skills at K Entry by Family Income
Barnett, Brown, and Shore 2004

6. To what extent can pre-K change this situation?
Why do some say it makes things worse?

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. IQ Over Time

10. Perry IQ and Achievement Effects over Time

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Meta-Analysis of US preschool programs 0-5 Impacts in 123 studies since 1960 Camilli et al., 2010

15. Achievement impacts for Head Start 3 year olds
Program period

16. Cognitive impacts in 67 ECE studies

17. 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.

18. Add contact info and/or acknoweldgements?
Working together we can improve early learning to enhance the well being and development of all children

19. 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

20. An Example: New Jersey’s HQ UPK
High expectations
Adequate funding
Strong teachers
Small classes
Two years, FD
Other supports for children and teachers

21. Continuous Improvement Cycle
Develop Early Learning and Program Standards
Analyze and Plan
Pilot Improvements
Implement/
Assess Progress
Measure and

22. 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

23. Change in SAVS Scores 03-04 to 04-05
40%
50%
10 %
63%
37% 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Total Mean SAVS Scores
Number of Districts
03-04
04-05

24. Transformation of Quality in Abbott Pre-K (ECERS-R)
ADD

25. NJ Effects on Achievement Grades 4 and 5

26. NJ Effects on Retention & Special Education at Grade 5

27. 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

28. What road will we choose going forward
What road will we choose going forward? The road to high quality is far less traveled