Table 1 Characteristics of three long-term preschool studies
From: Use of early childhood longitudinal studies by policy makers
Characteristic | Carolina Abecedarian | Chicago Child-Parent Centers | HighScope perry |
|---|---|---|---|
Design | |||
Beginning year | 1972 | 1985 | 1962 |
Type of setting | College town | Major city | College town |
Sample size | 111 | 1539 | 123 |
Assignment to groups | Random | Existing classes | Random |
Scale | Research | Service | Research |
Program entry and exit age | 0.4–5 | 3–4 | 3–4 |
Program hours a day, days a week | 8, 5 | 2½, 5 | 2½, 5 |
Program weeks a year, years | 50, 5 | 35, 2 | 35, 2 |
Parent program | No | Family and health services | Weekly home visits |
School-age services | Yes | Yes | No |
Control group experience | Some child care arrangements | No preschool program | No preschool program |
Common outcomes | |||
Intellectual performance tests—years effect found | Ages 3–21 | – | Ages 4–7 |
School achievement tests—years effect found | Age 15 | Ages 14–15 | Ages 7–27 |
Placed in special education—P vs. NP | 25 vs. 48 % | 14 vs. 25 % | 65 vs. 60 % |
Retained in grade—P vs. NP | 31 vs. 55 % | 23 vs. 38 % | 35 vs. 40 % |
High school graduate—P vs. NP | 67 vs. 51 % | 50 vs. 39 % | 65 vs. 45 % |
Males—P vs. NP | 43 vs. 29 % | 50 vs. 54 % | |
Females—P vs. NP | 57 vs. 48 % | 84 vs. 32 % | |
Arrested by 21—P vs. NP | 45 vs. 41 % | 17 vs. 25 % | 15 vs. 25 % |
Age at birth of first child—P vs. NP | 19.1 vs. 17.7 | – | 22.2 vs. 19.4 |
Cost-benefit analysisa | |||
Program cost | $34,476 | $6956 | $15,166 |
Program cost per year | $13,362 | $4637 | $8540 |
Public return, total | – | $26,637 | $195,621 |
Public return, per dollar invested | – | $3.83 | $12.90 |
Societal return, total | $130,300 | $49,364 | $258,888 |
Societal return, per dollar invested | $3.78 | $7.10 | $17.07 |