November2016Page2.pdfVIP

Thank you for your request to our REL Reference Desk about the research on the impact of early childhood interventions on dropout prevention. The information below represents the best available evidence found in the time allotted. Researchers consider the type of methodology used and give priority to research reports that employ well described and thorough methods. The resources are also selected based on the date of the publication with a preference for research from the last ten years. Additional criteria for inclusion include the source and funder of the resource. Question: What is the evidence of the impact of early childhood interventions on dropout? 1. Long-term Effects of Early Childhood Programs on Cognitive and School Outcomes. 1995; Barnett, S.; The Future of Children, vol. 5, no. 3; 25 pages. Source: National Dropout Prevention Center/Network /futureofchildren/publications/docs/05_03_01.pdf “The extent to which early childhood programs produce long-term benefits in children’s cognitive development, socialization, and school success is a matter of some controversy. This article reviews 36 studies of both model demonstration projects and large-scale public programs to examine the long-term effects of these programs on children from low-income families. The review carefully considers issues related to research design. It includes studies of preschool education, Head Start, child care, and home visiting programs, and focuses primarily on the effects of program participation on children’s cognitive development. Results indicate that early childhood programs can produce large short-term benefits for children on intelligence quotient (IQ) and sizable long-term effects on school achievement, grade retention, placement in special education, and social