Cognitive and School Outcomes for High-Risk African-American Students at Middle Adolescence: Positive Effects of Early Intervention

Long-term intellectual and academic benefits related to early childhood educational intervention were found in a sample of students from low-income families (98% African American). The subjects were randomly assigned to preschool and school-age treatment conditions in a study design that permits a comparison of outcomes in students with preschool treatment followed by early elementary treatment (infancy–8 years), preschool treatment only (infancy–5 years), early elementary school treatment only (5 years–8 years), and untreated controls. At age 15, seven to ten years after any treatment was provided, those students who had preschool treatment scored significantly higher on individually administered tests of reading and mathematics and had fewer instances of grade retention and assignments to special education. The results support the relative efficacy of preschool treatment over that given in early elementary school. Policy implications stress the importance of providing high quality early childhood environments for impoverished children.