Why preschool education is important for future learning

In the to school year, when Tennessee had to assign spaces in their early childhood education program by lottery, it created the conditions for the perfect natural experiment. There are studies out there which have found lasting benefits to test scores.

But in general, the better-conducted the study, the more discouraging the results. How is that compatible with the impressive list of positive long-term effects discussed above? One explanation commonly entertained in the debate over early childhood education is that the studies for one side or the other are just wrong. Pessimists about education interventions have pointed out that the recent studies, which found no effects from early childhood education interventions, are randomized control trials RCTs , which are considered the gold standard for research into policies like these.

Meanwhile, the findings of long-term benefits come from longitudinal studies, tracking all of the kids in a program. RCTs are generally more reliable on a complex question like this one. So maybe the RCTs are right, the longitudinal studies are all turning up noise, and there are no effects from preschool. But defenders of early childhood education can retort that the evidence base for the long-term effects is actually quite solid.

Some of the studies that find a long-term advantage from education are very carefully designed to avoid the methodological problems associated with not having a control group. They even found that Head Start improved parenting practices for the next generation. A different analysis by the National Bureau of Economic Research used a regression discontinuity design — exploiting the fact that Head Start was provided to the poorest counties but was not provided to some nearly identical counties just over the income threshold.

They found effects from Head Start on child mortality, graduation rates, and college attendance. There are some studies in which researchers found persistent gains from early-childhood school programs.

It might be that a few standout programs actually do deliver academic results. But they seem to be rare, small, and hard-to-scale. In general, education in kindergarten just does not predict performance by the end of elementary school very well. One more thing to look into is health interventions. Even the children in ECE benefit.

These individual factors can play a big role in your local economy—and by extension—the national economy. A study found that rising childcare costs resulted in a 13 percent decrease in employment of mothers of young children.

In , Washington, D. A study of this program shows a substantial economic payoff, with an astounding 10 percent increase in workforce participation among mothers of young children after the program began in More participation in the workplace means fewer dollars lost by American business and more diversity in the workplace, as woman are primarily affected by the childcare crisis.

From the findings of national studies to the sobering statistics about the school-to-prison pipeline, the invaluable role of ECE is hard to deny. Investing in the education of our children early on puts young minds on a promising path for lifelong learning and future success in the workplace and global economy at large. While access to ECE is instrumental to childhood development, educators play just as crucial of a role in setting children up for a successful future.

Can you envision yourself making a difference in molding young minds when it matters most? A degree in Early Childhood Education could position you to make that impact. It has since been updated to include information relevant to There are some errors in the form.

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Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Teachers may ask them to set the table at snack time, fix the calendar, or help set up an activity, for example. Children learn language skills best in a language-rich environment. At preschool, teachers help children develop language capabilities by introducing new vocabulary during activities and asking thought-provoking questions.

With ample opportunities to try new things, listen to read-aloud books, act out stories, and sing, preschool children have a clear advantage in learning to communicate effectively.

Children build cognitive skills through activities that challenge them to try new things, solve problems, ask questions, and simply observe the world around them. Preschool emphasizes these types of activities, and children learn more as a result. While literacy, math, and cognition are important, brainy skills are not the only ones that young children should learn. Many preschool activities are designed to help children develop physical coordination and fine motor schools. Children are challenged to develop fine control of their fingers with projects that involve threading with beads, drawing, or even cutting with scissors.

Many preschools also offer daily opportunities for children to challenge themselves by jumping or climbing. Preschool may not seem highly structured at first glance. However, classroom space is always organized to encourage social interaction and skills development. Preschool teachers provide opportunities to engage in group activities, listen to stories, and work together with other children. In an environment with a range of activity choices, children can explore their curiosity while still getting used to structured activities.

Kindergarten has become more and more academic over time. Because of this trend, some parents believe their children need a stronger pre-math and pre-literacy foundation in preschool to succeed later on. Others worry that their children need more structured play and opportunities to explore their interests.

Preschool provides both kinds of learning opportunities for children. A high-quality education program will offer children both protected play time and skills development that prepare them for kindergarten. More than anything else, preschool helps children develop the skills they will need to grow throughout their lives.