Health Equity: Center-Based Early Childhood Education
CDC
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
Center-based early childhood education programs aim to improve the cognitive or social development of children ages 3 or 4 years.
-Programs must include an educational component that addresses one or more of the following: literacy, numeracy, cognitive development, socio-emotional development, and motor skills.
-Programs may offer additional components including recreation, meals, health care, parental supports, and social services.
-Programs may enroll children before they are 3 years of age.
-Programs must include an educational component that addresses one or more of the following: literacy, numeracy, cognitive development, socio-emotional development, and motor skills.
-Programs may offer additional components including recreation, meals, health care, parental supports, and social services.
-Programs may enroll children before they are 3 years of age.
Impact
The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends center-based early childhood education programs (ECE) to improve educational outcomes that are associated with long-term health as well as social- and health-related outcomes. Economic evidence indicates there is a positive return on investment in early childhood education. The benefits from students' future earnings gains alone exceed program costs.
If targeted to low-income or racial and ethnic minority communities, ECE programs are likely to reduce educational achievement gaps, improve the health of these student populations, and promote health equity.
If targeted to low-income or racial and ethnic minority communities, ECE programs are likely to reduce educational achievement gaps, improve the health of these student populations, and promote health equity.
Results / Accomplishments
Education-related outcomes:
-Test scores: mean increase of 0.29 standard deviations (27 study arms)
-High school graduation: mean increase of 0.20 standard deviations (7 study arms)
-Grade retention (in which children are held back from the next grade because they have not succeeded in required learning): mean decrease of 0.23 standard deviations (12 study arms)
-Assignment to special education (in which children are taken out of the standard learning track and assigned to receive extra attention because of learning difficulties): mean decrease of 0.28 standard deviations (6 study arms)
Social- and Health-related outcomes:
-Crime rates: mean decrease of 0.23 standard deviations (5 study arms)
-Teen birth rates: mean decrease of 0.46 standard deviations (3 study arms)
-Self-Regulation: mean increase of 0.21 standard deviations (5 study arms)
-Emotional development: mean increase of 0.04 standard deviations (7 study arms)
-Test scores: mean increase of 0.29 standard deviations (27 study arms)
-High school graduation: mean increase of 0.20 standard deviations (7 study arms)
-Grade retention (in which children are held back from the next grade because they have not succeeded in required learning): mean decrease of 0.23 standard deviations (12 study arms)
-Assignment to special education (in which children are taken out of the standard learning track and assigned to receive extra attention because of learning difficulties): mean decrease of 0.28 standard deviations (6 study arms)
Social- and Health-related outcomes:
-Crime rates: mean decrease of 0.23 standard deviations (5 study arms)
-Teen birth rates: mean decrease of 0.46 standard deviations (3 study arms)
-Self-Regulation: mean increase of 0.21 standard deviations (5 study arms)
-Emotional development: mean increase of 0.04 standard deviations (7 study arms)
About this Promising Practice
Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS V25-5
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS V25-5
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education
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