New study, including UC Irvine researchers, uncovers varied benefits of early childhood programs
A review by a research team, including UC Irvine School of Education faculty and alumni, shows mixed evidence on the long-term effectiveness of preschool programs.
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Irvine, Calif., May 9, 2024 – A new study including University of California, Irvine School of Education researchers – alongside scholars from Columbia University, University of Virginia and University of Delaware – has yielded varied results on the impact of publicly funded U.S. preschool programs on student performance beyond early childhood.
The study, “Unsettled Science on longer-run effects of early education,” published in Science Magazine this month, provides insight into recent rigorous studies that evaluated programs across the nation. The team of investigators revealed a nuanced understanding of early education's impact on students’ immediate and extended outcomes, showing a variation of positive and negative effects. |
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“Early childhood education is an essential component of any nation’s public policy; children are learning well before kindergarten, and parents are working. What is less settled, however, is how much we should expect preschool to be shaping achievement and well-being later in life,” said study co-author Jade Jenkins, UCI School of Education associate professor.
In addition to Jenkins, the investigators associated with the UCI School of Education included Professor Drew Bailey; Distinguished Professor Greg Duncan; alumnus Tyler Watts, who earned a Ph.D. in 2017 and is now an assistant professor at Columbia University; and alumna Anamarie Whitaker, who earned a Ph.D. in 2014 and is now an assistant professor at the University of Delaware. The study was led by senior author Margaret Burchinal of University of Virginia and included Emma Hart of Columbia University.
The scholars examined evaluations of the Head Start program and public prekindergarten initiatives in Boston and Tennessee, discovering that while children saw academic improvements immediately after preschool, the long-term effects ranged. The findings highlight that not all early education programs guaranteed universally favorable results, the authors say, stressing the need for more research to shape effective preschool interventions.
Two key studies in the 1960s and 1970s, the Perry Preschool and Abecedarian projects, respectively, have shaped common belief and sparked significant interest in funding early childhood education. The projects showed early education led to improved educational outcomes, income levels, employment rates, health and reduced levels of crime. However, the Science investigators note that these studies focused on projects more than five decades old, and current preschool initiatives should undergo modern assessments.
“The proven long-term success of early programs like Perry Preschool showed what’s possible with very intensive preschool programs. But today’s policymakers need to know if lessons from Perry hold for today’s programs. Recent research shows that the answer appears to be ‘yes’ in some, but not all cases,” Duncan said.
Amidst these mixed findings, the researchers recommended conducting future follow-up evaluations to existing random-assignment and lottery studies, aimed to understand whether the limited influence of early education programs on children’s skills after primary school has effects on success outcomes in adulthood.
“The good news for society is that we have invested dramatically more over the past 50 years in programs designed to help young children and families. But with such improvements come practical challenges of balancing necessary redundancies in the system with unique opportunities for early childhood education programs to support children’s development,” Bailey said.
The team proposed further research to uncover the essential components contributing to the success of preschools and a focus on identifying cognitive and socioemotional skills that yield enduring benefits for children. They argued that future efforts would benefit from including K-12 test scores and behavior records as well as surveys of teachers and students to shed light on classroom experiences and child development.
The authors also prompted policymakers and researchers to prioritize rigorous evidence around early childhood education programs in hopes of propelling their development and implementation.
In addition to Jenkins, the investigators associated with the UCI School of Education included Professor Drew Bailey; Distinguished Professor Greg Duncan; alumnus Tyler Watts, who earned a Ph.D. in 2017 and is now an assistant professor at Columbia University; and alumna Anamarie Whitaker, who earned a Ph.D. in 2014 and is now an assistant professor at the University of Delaware. The study was led by senior author Margaret Burchinal of University of Virginia and included Emma Hart of Columbia University.
The scholars examined evaluations of the Head Start program and public prekindergarten initiatives in Boston and Tennessee, discovering that while children saw academic improvements immediately after preschool, the long-term effects ranged. The findings highlight that not all early education programs guaranteed universally favorable results, the authors say, stressing the need for more research to shape effective preschool interventions.
Two key studies in the 1960s and 1970s, the Perry Preschool and Abecedarian projects, respectively, have shaped common belief and sparked significant interest in funding early childhood education. The projects showed early education led to improved educational outcomes, income levels, employment rates, health and reduced levels of crime. However, the Science investigators note that these studies focused on projects more than five decades old, and current preschool initiatives should undergo modern assessments.
“The proven long-term success of early programs like Perry Preschool showed what’s possible with very intensive preschool programs. But today’s policymakers need to know if lessons from Perry hold for today’s programs. Recent research shows that the answer appears to be ‘yes’ in some, but not all cases,” Duncan said.
Amidst these mixed findings, the researchers recommended conducting future follow-up evaluations to existing random-assignment and lottery studies, aimed to understand whether the limited influence of early education programs on children’s skills after primary school has effects on success outcomes in adulthood.
“The good news for society is that we have invested dramatically more over the past 50 years in programs designed to help young children and families. But with such improvements come practical challenges of balancing necessary redundancies in the system with unique opportunities for early childhood education programs to support children’s development,” Bailey said.
The team proposed further research to uncover the essential components contributing to the success of preschools and a focus on identifying cognitive and socioemotional skills that yield enduring benefits for children. They argued that future efforts would benefit from including K-12 test scores and behavior records as well as surveys of teachers and students to shed light on classroom experiences and child development.
The authors also prompted policymakers and researchers to prioritize rigorous evidence around early childhood education programs in hopes of propelling their development and implementation.
About the UC Irvine School of Education
The University of California, Irvine School of Education is a diverse, dynamic and collaborative institution focused on advancing education sciences and contributing to improved high-quality education opportunities and outcomes for individuals across the education lifespan, from early childhood to higher education and beyond. The UCI School of Education’s programs, research and community partnerships are dedicated to producing innovative scholarship, addressing the needs in education, and inspiring future generations of educators, scholars and leaders. U.S. News & World Report ranks the UCI School of Education No. 8 among public schools of education and No. 17 graduate school of education. Led by Dean Frances Contreras, the UCI School of Education is home to more than 1,000 students enrolled in the bachelor, master and doctoral degree programs, and a vibrant network of more than 10,000 alumni. For more information, please visit our website.
The University of California, Irvine School of Education is a diverse, dynamic and collaborative institution focused on advancing education sciences and contributing to improved high-quality education opportunities and outcomes for individuals across the education lifespan, from early childhood to higher education and beyond. The UCI School of Education’s programs, research and community partnerships are dedicated to producing innovative scholarship, addressing the needs in education, and inspiring future generations of educators, scholars and leaders. U.S. News & World Report ranks the UCI School of Education No. 8 among public schools of education and No. 17 graduate school of education. Led by Dean Frances Contreras, the UCI School of Education is home to more than 1,000 students enrolled in the bachelor, master and doctoral degree programs, and a vibrant network of more than 10,000 alumni. For more information, please visit our website.
