New research verifies findings of multiple studies that high-quality early care and education helps children prepare for school and narrow the achievement gap, with a strong impact for children from low-income families. A summary of the study, Early education narrows achievement gap, describes the findings of the University of North Carolina’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute research. The study indicates that it is advantageous for children to start younger and stay longer in early learning programs.
The study focuses on Educare programs across the country (including Milwaukee’s Educare program, I presume). It finds that high-quality early education boosts the language skills of children from low-income families, and children whose first language is not English benefit even more.

Dave Edie