Many early childhood education programs appear to boost cognitive ability and early school achievement in the short run. However, most of them show smaller impacts than those generated by the best-known programs, and their cognitive impacts largely disappear within a few years. Despite this fade-out, long-run follow-ups from a handful of well-known programs show lasting positive effects on such outcomes as greater educational attainment, higher earnings, and lower rates of crime.
This study summarizes the available evidence on the extent to which spending on early childhood education programs constitute worthy social investments in the early childhood education programs constitute worthy social investments in the human capital of children.
To read the full study, click here.