Public Preschool Education That Starts at Birth Would Be Better for the Economy, According to New Research

Starting schooling at 8 weeks helps children. Photo: Miho Aikawa/Getty Images

Thanks in large part to research from Nobel Prizeโ€“winning economist James Heckman, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle support early education programs for kids 3 and 4 years old. However, new research from Heckman found public preschool programs that begin in infancy actually offer a higher return on investment, the Washington Post reports.

In a new study released Monday, Heckman found that disadvantaged children who participate in high-quality education programs starting at just 8 weeks old have a higher chance of graduating from high school and staying out of prison. These โ€œzero-to-fiveโ€ programs also help kids develop higher IQs and better health. According to the Post, these benefits each present โ€œsignificant savings to society.โ€

Such programs cost nearly $18,500 per year for each child enrolled, higher than the amount an average public-school district spends on a kidโ€™s education for grades K through 12. Yet, zero-to-five programs have a 13 percent return on investment โ€” higher than the 7โ€“10 percent return on programs for 3- to 4-year-olds. Furthermore, for every dollar spent, these initiatives have a societal benefit of $6.30, Heckman told the Post:

โ€œAs an economist, I always find it very odd that people only focus on the costs of a program rather than the benefits. This is very strong evidence for supporting this kind of program going forward.โ€

Heckmanโ€™s findings show why lawmakers should invest in (super) early-childhood education programs. President Trump has proposed giving tax credits to help working-class parents cover the costs of child care, but he hasnโ€™t really spoken about early childhood initiatives โ€œother than to express skepticism about the cost to taxpayers of the universal preschool programs his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton favored,โ€ the Post noted.

Why Public Preschool Education Should Start in Infancy