Persistent Effects of Early Childhood Education on High-Risk Children and Their Mothers

Child and mother outcomes are reported for the Abecedarian Project, an early child-hood education, pediatric healthcare, and family support program for high-risk chil-dren and their mothers. Three randomized intervention conditions for at-risk partici-pants were compared to a control condition. Randomized control group participants received family support social services, low-cost or free pediatric care, and child nu-tritional supplements but no additional educational program beyond what the parents and the local school system provided. The local community was generally affluent and well educated; disadvantaged families represented a small minority whose welfare was a high social and educational priority. The educational intervention conditions were (a) preschool education for the first 5 years of life plus a supplementary kindergarten through 2nd grade Educational Sup-port Program (Preschool plus K–2 Support), (b) preschool education (Preschool