New research from Cincinnati provides evidence demonstrating the importance of investments in high-quality early childhood education programs for a strong future workforce and economy. The long-term study stems from a partnership between Cincinnati Public Schools and United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s Success By 6 program and tracked academic achievements of more than 2,000 local children from kindergarten entry through 12th grade. Over the 15-year period, Cincinnati children who regularly attended high-quality preschool, as compared to those who did not, were more likely to be ready for kindergarten. Children who were kindergarten-ready were more likely to meet learning benchmarks in third and eighth grades, and to graduate from high school.
Some key findings from the report include the following:
- Children who attended preschool were 53 percent more likely to be on-track for kindergarten than those who did not attend preschool.
- Positive effects of preschool were more pronounced for low-income and African-American students, for students who attended regularly, and for those who attended for two years (compared to one year).
- Students on-track for kindergarten were over three times more likely to be proficient in third grade math and over three-and-a-half times more likely to be proficient in third-grade reading compared to students who were not on-track.
- Students on-track for kindergarten were over twice as likely to be proficient in eighth grade math and nearly three times more likely to be proficient in eighth grade reading compared to students who were not on-track.
- Finally, on-track students were more than twice as likely to graduate from high school.
Cradle to career investments in children and youth are critically important for our future workforce and economy, and as demonstrated by this study, supporting our earliest learners will pay off over the long-term.
