EWA's 66th National Seminar, held at Stanford University, took place earlier this month. We asked some of the journalists attending to contribute posts from the sessions. The majority of the content will soon be available at EdMedia Commons. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing a few of the posts. Independent education writer?Maureen Kelleher?is today's guest blogger.
Nobel-Prize winning economist James Heckman has long studied the economic impact of education. In 1993, Heckman?s research showed that GED recipients have lower lifetime earnings than students who graduate with high school diplomas. He has also demonstrated that federal job-training programs like Job Corps were largely ineffective. His more recent research in early childhood education shows strong economic returns to society through improved lifetime outcomes for disadvantaged children who participate in preschool programs and even earlier interventions.Heckman kicked off his May 2 lunch address at the Education Writers Association conference with two key points that can be hard for reporters to keep in mind as hey wade through the politics and policy of K-12 and higher education:
1. Parents matter a lot?not only for supporting kids when they?re in school, but also in getting their kids ready for school;
2. Success in life depends on a lot more than just how smart you are on standardized tests.
?It?s staggering that public policy ignores these basic points and many of their implications,? Heckman observed. As policymakers are beginning to turn their attention to early childhood education, Heckman?s research indicates they would maximize their returns by investing as early as possible in children and families, supporting parents to promote both cognitive and non-cognitive skills, and investing in preschool programs with a focus on disadvantaged children.
As Heckman noted, many children arrive at kindergarten already well behind their more privileged peers . Schools generally don?t do much to narrow or widen that achievement gap, he said. While Charles Murray would argue that the root cause of the achievement gap is genetic, Heckman counters that ?parenting environments and family decisions? are also involved. And families in the United States are under increasing strain, with growing income inequality and rising numbers of single-parent families, Heckman noted.
Public policy needs to support struggling parents, Heckman argued. ?Any good schools policy has to recognize we have troubled families in American society, and we should support them,? he said. Providing interventions like home visiting or home-based Head Start can help parents learn new ways of being with their children besides watching TV and issuing orders.
Having conversations with young children, helping them plan and complete projects like baking or making crafts, reading to them, providing experiences like the zoo, museum, or library?these parenting practices make big differences in children?s school readiness and soft skills.While college-educated mothers are spending more time with their children in these ways?despite working in greater numbers?mothers from more disadvantaged backgrounds generally are not, Heckman told the audience. During the Q & A session, he suggested that voluntary early childhood programs provided by a mix of public and private operators?basically, the current system?can help bridge the gap. But society needs to invest to get early childhood programs to the children who need them the most.
His second point?that cognitive skills are not the whole story for individual success?is related to how children develop skills. ?Skills beget skills,? Heckman noted. A child who can sit still, persist on tasks and is open new experiences will likely learn more than a child who struggles with these challenges. Healthy children miss fewer school days and can better focus on learning and getting along with others. In turn, children with better cognitive skills are more motivated and more likely to understand the relationship between what they do and its results, whether that means brushing their teeth to prevent cavities or listening to the teacher?s directions before starting an activity.
And it?s those non-cognitive skills that translate into the biggest return on investment. Some social benefits of early childhood programs accrue quickly, such as reduced special education costs when children?s deficits are addressed before they start kindergarten. However, most of the benefit shows up later in children?s lives, in reduced rates of crime and better employment and health outcomes. Early development is as important as education in promoting wages, employment and health, Heckman said
Heckman?s bottom line: invest in prevention, not remediation. His research shows the highest returns per dollar invested come the earlier they reach children and families. Pre-natal interventions show the highest returns, then early interventions with children from birth to three and their families, then preschool, then K-12, then job-training programs and other efforts to remediate adults after their high school years are over.
?We?re talking about enriching families, helping families do what they do. Giving kids more opportunities,? Heckman said. ?I?m proposing you give them skills at age two or three and they can propel themselves through life. ?
Nobel-Prize winning economist James Heckman has long studied the economic impact of education. In 1993, Heckman?s research showed that GED recipients have lower lifetime earnings than students who graduate with high school diplomas. He has also demonstrated that federal job-training programs like Job Corps were largely ineffective. His more recent research in early childhood education shows strong economic returns to society through improved lifetime outcomes for disadvantaged children who participate in preschool programs and even earlier interventions.
Heckman kicked off his May 2 lunch address at the Education Writers Association conference with two key points that can be hard for reporters to keep in mind as hey wade through the politics and policy of K-12 and higher education:
1. Parents matter a lot?not only for supporting kids when they?re in school, but also in getting their kids ready for school;
2. Success in life depends on a lot more than just how smart you are on standardized tests.
?It?s staggering that public policy ignores these basic points and many of their implications,? Heckman observed. As policymakers are beginning to turn their attention to early childhood education, Heckman?s research indicates they would maximize their returns by investing as early as possible in children and families, supporting parents to promote both cognitive and non-cognitive skills, and investing in preschool programs with a focus on disadvantaged children.
As Heckman noted, many children arrive at kindergarten already well behind their more privileged peers . Schools generally don?t do much to narrow or widen that achievement gap, he said. While Charles Murray would argue that the root cause of the achievement gap is genetic, Heckman counters that ?parenting environments and family decisions? are also involved. And families in the United States are under increasing strain, with growing income inequality and rising numbers of single-parent families, Heckman noted.
Public policy needs to support struggling parents, Heckman argued. ?Any good schools policy has to recognize we have troubled families in American society, and we should support them,? he said. Providing interventions like home visiting or home-based Head Start can help parents learn?new ways of being with their children that support healthy intellectual and social development.
Having conversations with young children, helping them plan and complete projects like baking or making crafts, reading to them, providing experiences like the zoo, museum, or library?these parenting practices make big differences in children?s school readiness and soft skills.While college-educated mothers are spending more time with their children in these ways?despite working in greater numbers?mothers from more disadvantaged backgrounds generally are not, Heckman told the audience. During the Q & A session, he suggested that voluntary early childhood programs provided by a mix of public and private operators?basically, the current system?can help bridge the gap. But society needs to invest to get early childhood programs to the children who need them the most.
His second point?that cognitive skills are not the whole story for individual success?is related to how children develop skills. ?Skills beget skills,? Heckman noted. A child who can sit still, persist on tasks and is open new experiences will likely learn more than a child who struggles with these challenges. Healthy children miss fewer school days and can better focus on learning and getting along with others. In turn, children with better cognitive skills are more motivated and more likely to understand the relationship between what they do and its results, whether that means brushing their teeth to prevent cavities or listening to the teacher?s directions before starting an activity.
And it?s those non-cognitive skills that translate into the biggest return on investment. Some social benefits of early childhood programs accrue quickly, such as reduced special education costs when children?s deficits are addressed before they start kindergarten. However, most of the benefit shows up later in children?s lives, in reduced rates of crime and better employment and health outcomes. Early development is as important as education in promoting wages, employment and health, Heckman said
Heckman?s bottom line: invest in prevention, not remediation. His research shows the highest returns per dollar invested come the earlier they reach children and families. Pre-natal interventions show the highest returns, then early interventions with children from birth to three and their families, then preschool, then K-12, then job-training programs and other efforts to remediate adults after their high school years are over.
?We?re talking about enriching families, helping families do what they do. Giving kids more opportunities,? Heckman said. ?I?m proposing you give them skills at age two or three and they can propel themselves through life. ?
Source: http://www.educatedreporter.com/2013/05/guest-post-economist-james-heckman-on.html
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