Challenging Long-Held Assumptions About Early Childhood Education Outcomes

Groundbreaking Study Affirms Long-Term Benefits of Preschool Programs Beyond Test Scores

New analysis from the University of Chicago’s Center for the Economics of Human Development and Texas A&M University presents fresh evidence on the lasting impact of early childhood education, challenging the dominant focus on test scores and curriculum quality in today's policy discussions.

This longitudinal research, based on the HighScope Perry Preschool Project, proves that early interventions yield significant long-term personal and societal benefits—gains that extend far beyond standardized test scores.

“Our research shows that the true value of high-quality early education programs lies in their long-term impact, which test scores alone cannot capture,” says co-author James Heckman, the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor in the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics at the University of Chicago. “The benefits are intergenerational, promoting social mobility and reducing inequalities in a way that conventional educational metrics simply miss.”

Professor Heckman directs CEHD.

The study, conducted 50 years after the preschool program, provides one of the most comprehensive analyses of how high-quality preschool programs can foster long-term success, impacting educational attainment, labor income, health outcomes, and even reducing crime over a participant's lifetime. The findings contradict criticisms about the lack of lasting effects from early childhood programs and call into question the narrow reliance on test scores as the primary metric of program success. 

While policy discussions often emphasize curriculum and test performance, this research underscores the role of adult-child interactions and parental involvement as critical components of early childhood education. The evidence suggests that policymakers should focus on the broader mechanisms behind early learning successes rather than attempting to replicate specific programs or curricula. 

Recent criticisms and calls to eliminate Head Start, in Project 2025 and other outlets, are based on flawed studies and a misguided understanding of the mechanisms of early childhood education.

As education systems continue to seek solutions for improving outcomes, this study provides robust, long-term data that offers a new perspective on what makes early childhood education truly effective.