Many young children spend a portion of the day in a preschool program. Some children attend public school early childhood education programs. These programs are designed to prepare children for regular schooling and help at-risk children catch up to their peers before school begins.

At-Risk Students

According to the American Educational Research Association's Fall 2005 newsletter, "At-risk children who participate in high-quality, center-based programs have better language and cognitive skills in the first few years of elementary school than do similar children who did not have such experiences." These students are defined as "at-risk" because of their socioeconomic status.

Family Funding

When a public school provides early childhood education programs, that enables a family to send both parents to work while the child is in school without having to pay for that child's care.

An Early Foundation

Giving children an early educational foundation increases the likelihood they will complete more schooling on their own at an older age. Inspiring children to love learning early seems to continue into adulthood.

Social Benefits

Kindergarten isn't all about academic skills; young children also learn important social skills during their first year in a regular school. Children who attend early childhood education programs can begin to learn these skills early, thus making them more prepared for the behavioral expectations of kindergarten.

Benefit to Taxpayers

When it comes to educating America's youth, taxpayers can choose to pay now or pay later. Investing a little in early childhood education programs could mean at-risk children will grow up to finish school and become responsible citizens. They will get jobs and participate in society. Neglecting to provide these programs could mean more drop-outs and more people living on taxpayer-funded programs such as welfare.

Source:

AERA: Research Points Fall 2005

MIT: Early Childhood Education for All