Research shows that investing in Early Childhood Programs is essential not just for the well-being of our children, but for society as a whole.

Nores,Milagros. (2013)  Yes, Public Preschool is a Smart Investment, Associate Director of Research, National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)

"The Economic Benefits of High-Quality Early Childhood Programs: What Makes the Difference?" focuses on three early education programs that have provided the strongest evidence of the economic benefits of quality early childhood programs - High/Scope Perry Preschool Project, the Abecedarian Project, and the Chicago Child-Parent Centers. Prepared by Families and Work Institute for The Committee for Economic Development. Click here to read the executive summary only.

Bartik, T. J., Gormley, W., & Adelstein, S. (2011). Earnings benefits of Tulsa's pre-K program for different income groups. Economics of Education Review. 31(6), December 2012, 1143-1161.

Barnett, W. S., & Masse, L. N. (2007). Early childhood program design and economic returns: Comparative benefit-cost analysis of the Abecedarian program and policy implications, Economics of Education Review, 26, 113-125. Retrieved fromhttp://nieer.org/sites/nieer/files/BenefitCostAbecedarian.pdf

Barnett, W.S., Jung, K., Youn, M., Frede, E. Abbott Preschool Program Longitudinal Effects Study: Fifth Grade Follow-Up (2013). Rutgers, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research, 1-34. Retrieved from http://nieer.org/sites/nieer/files/APPLES%205th%20Grade.pdf

Bartik, T. J., Gormley, W., & Adelstein, S. (2011). Earnings benefits of Tulsa's pre-K program for different income groups. Economics of Education Review. 31(6), December 2012, 1143-1161.

Campbell, F. A., Ramey, C. T., Pungello, E. P., Sparling, J., & Miller-Johnson, S. (2002). Early childhood education: Young adult outcomes from the Abecedarian Project. Applied Developmental Science, 6, 42-57.

Campbell, F.A., Pungello, E. P., Burchinal, M., Kainz, K., Pan, Y.; Wasik, B.H., Barbarin, O.A., Sparling, J.J., & Ramey, C.T. (2012) Adult outcomes as a function of an early childhood educational program: An Abecedarian Project follow-up. Developmental Psychology, 48(4), 1033-1043.

Deming, D. (2009). Early childhood intervention and life-cycle skill development: Evidence from Head Start. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 1(3), 111-134.

Garces, Eliana, Duncan Thomas and Janet Currie (2002). "Longer-Term Effects Of Head Start," American Economic Review, 92(4), 999-1012. Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w8054

Gormley Jr., W. T., Gayer, T., Phillips, D., & Dawson, B.(2005). The effects of universal pre-k on cognitive development. Journal of Developmental Psychology, 41(6), 872-884. Retrieved fromhttp://birthtofivepolicy.org/Portals/0/pdfs/the effects of universal pre-K.pdf

Gormley, W. T., Phillips, D., & Gayer, T. (2008). Preschool programs can boost school readiness. Science, 320(5884), 1723. Retrieved from http://nieer.org/resources/research/Gormley062708.pdf

Heckman, J. J., & Kautz, T. D. (2012). Hard evidence on soft skills. National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper 18121. http://www.nber.org/papers/w18121

Heckman, J. J., Moon, S. H., Pinto, R., Savelyev, P. A., Yavitz, A. (2009). The rate of return to the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 15471. Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w15471

Heckman, J. J., Moon, S. H., Pinto, R., Savelyev, P. A., Yavitz, A. (2010). A New cost-benefit and rate of return analysis for the Perry Preschool Program: A Summary. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 16180. Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w16180

Lamy, C., Barnett, W. S., & Jung, K. (2005). The effects of New Jersey's Abbott preschool program on young children's school readiness. National Institute for Early Education Research Rutgers University, 1-16. Retrieved from http://nieer.org/resources/research/multistate/nj.pdf

Lipsey, M.,Farran, D. ,Bilbrey,C.,Hoffer, K.,Dong, N. (2011). Initial Results of the Evaluation of the Tennessee Voluntary PreK Program. Peabody Research Institute, Vanderbilt University, 1-41. Retrieved fromhttp://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/docs/pdf/PRI/New%20Initial%20Results%20of%20the%20Evaluation%20of%20TN-VPK.pdf

OECD (2012). Education at a Glance 2012: OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing. Retrieved fromhttp://www.oecd.org/edu/EAG%202012_e-book_EN_200912.pdf

Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., Robertson, D. L., & Mann, E. A. (2002). Age 21 cost-benefit analysis of the Title I Chicago Child-Parent Centers. (2002). Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 24(4 24-267-303), 264-303.

Reynolds, A.J., Temple, J.A., Robertson, D.L., Mann, E. (2001). Long term effects of an early childhood intervention on educational achievement and juvenile arrest. Journal of the American Medical Association,285 (18). Retrieved from http://www.ccfc.ca.gov/pdf/help/chicago_cpc_jama.pdf

Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., White, B. A. B., Ou, S., & Robertson, D. L. (2011). Age 26 cost-benefit analysis of the Child-Parent Center early education program. Child Development, 82(1), 379 404.

Schweinhart, L. J., Montie, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W. S., Belfield, C. R., & Nores, M. (2005). Lifetime effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool study through age 40. Monographs of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, 14. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation.http://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=219

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (January 2010). Head Start Impact Study. Final Report. Washington, DC. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/node/8375

Weiland, C., & Yoshikawa, H. (2013). The impacts of an urban public prekindergarten program on children's mathematics, language, literacy, executive function, and emotional skills. Child Development (in press).

Issue insights brief: The Business Benefits of Early Care and Education

University of Chicago Economics Professor / Nobel Laureate James Heckman provides a simple equation explaining the importance of investing in early childhood.

Here is a video describing the great returns for investing in young children.

Nurturing moms hold the key to healthy lifestyles.

Investing in preventative, data-driven early childhood education is the most cost-effective way to grow the nation’s economy

Early Care and Education: A Proven Approach to Effective Workforce Development, a PowerPoint by Lydia Logan, Vice President and Executive Director, Institute for a Competitive Workforce