Early childhood interventions proven results, future promise - Karoly, Lynn A. (Rand, 2005)
Includes bibliographical references (pages 149-167)
Disparities in early childhood and the associated consequences. The promise of early childhood interventions -- Strategies for intervention. Theoretical foundations of early childhood intervention. Strategies for early childhood intervention. Strategies for program evaluation. Early childhood intervention programs with rigorous evaluations and strong evidence to date. Taxonomy of selected early childhood intervention programs -- What works in early childhood intervention programs. Outcomes improved by early childhood intervention programs. Magnitude of the effects. Features associated with more effective programs -- The economics of early childhood interventions. Potential economic benefits of early childhood interventions. Benefit-cost studies of early childhood interventions. Other economic and noneconomic benefits of early childhood interventions. Strengths and limitations of economic evidence -- Conclusions
Parents, policymakers, business leaders, and the general public increasingly recognize the importance of the first few years in the life of a child for promoting healthy physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development. Nonetheless, many children face deficiencies between ages 0 and 5 that can impede their ability to develop to their fullest potential. The PNC Grow Up Great initiative, a program financed by PNC Financial, Inc., asked RAND to prepare a thorough, objective review and synthesis of current research that addresses the potential for various forms of early childhood intervention to improve outcomes for participating children and their families. The authors consider the potential consequences of not investing additional resources in the lives of children, the range of early intervention programs, the demonstrated benefits of interventions with high-quality evaluations, the features associated with successful programs, and the returns to society associated with investing early in the lives of disadvantaged children. Their findings indicate that a body of sound research exists that can guide resource allocation decisions. This evidence base sheds light on the types of programs that have been demonstrated to be effective, the features associated with effective programs, and the potential for returns to society that exceed the resources invested in program delivery