Investing in early childhood education is a solution that creates upward mobility by ensuring all children have the opportunity to build foundations for long-term success in life. Children who receive a high-quality early childhood education are proven to be more likely to earn higher wages, live healthier lives, avoid engagement in the criminal justice system, raise stronger families and contribute to society. The benefits of high-quality programs from birth through age 5 do not end with one child but instead extend to their entire family, now and in the years to come.
Research finds:
- The positive effects of early childhood interventions are evident even after participants reach adulthood.
- Likely due to early detection and mitigation services, early childhood education lowered the probability of special education placement in grades 3, 4, and 5 by 10%, thereby creating more space in special education classrooms for the students who need it most.
- Children participating in high-quality early childhood education had increased college graduation rates and increased rates of employment at age 30.
- Parents with children participating in high-quality childhood education saw sustained parental wage growth.
- Participants in high-quality early childhood education also showed long-term health benefits, including reduced rates of depression, smoking and cardiovascular disease.
- Better health outcomes resulting from birth to age 5 early childhood education lead to lower rates of chronic disease and lower health care costs, contributing to a 13% return on investment.
- Adults who participated in high-quality early childhood education as children had a higher rate of four-year high school graduation, college attendance, associate’s degree or higher college degree attainment and postsecondary degree attainment.