New Research from the Brookings Institution shows significant long-term positive impacts from Head Start, tracking children into adulthood. The new study, The long-term impact of the Head Start program, found that:
- Head Start improved educational outcomes, with participants showing higher rates of graduation from high school, of attending college, and of receiving a post-secondary degree, license, or certification.
- Head Start improved social, emotional and behavioral development, which was evident in adulthood self-control, self-esteem, and positive parenting practices. Gains in self- control and self-esteem were particularly prominent for African American participants. Of course, these behavioral attributes are keys to success in learning, work and social skills.
- Head Start participation led to positive parenting practices, impacting each ethnic group. A remarkable finding was that “Head Start causes participants to invest more in their own children years after their participation in the program.”
The Brookings Institution study shows long-term impact for both Head Start participants and their children, building on the work done by David Deming of Harvard. The study also found that more recent cohorts of Head Start participants had a larger impact than earlier cohorts, which may indicate that Head Start programs are improving in their effectiveness.
