The High/Scope Perry

Preschool Study to Age 40

Larry Schweinhart & Jeanne Montie

High/Scope Educational Research Foundation

World Bank, November 17, 2004

High/Scope Perry Preschool Study

4 123 young African-American children,

living in poverty and at risk of school
failure
4 Randomly assigned to initially similar
program and no-program groups
4 4 teachers held daily classes of 20-25
three- and four-year-olds and made
weekly home visits
 The Preschool Program

§ Educated children by having them plan,

do, and review their own learning
activities
§ Focused teachers through curriculum
training, supervision, and assessment
§ Involved parents through weekly home
visits
 Major Findings
No-program group Program group

Ready for school at 5

67%
28%

Committed to school at 61%

14 38%

Basic achievement at 49%

14 15%

High school graduate

65%
45%

Earned $20K+ at 40
60%
40%

Arrested 5+ times by 36%

40 55%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

 More high school graduates
High school graduate
GED
Dropout

Program group 65% 12% 23%

No-program group 45% 16% 39%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
 More employed
Program group
No-program group

76%
Age 40
62%

69%
Age 27
56%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

 Higher median annual earnings
Program group
No-program group

$20,800
Age 40
$15,300

$12,000
Age 27
$10,000

$0 $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000

 Fewer arrested 5 or more times
Program group
No-program group

Juvenile to 19 3%
5%

Adult to 27 7%
29%

Adult 28-40 29%

37%

Total by 40 36%
55%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Fewer arrested for various crimes
Program group
No-program group

Violent 33%
48%

Drug 14%
34%

Property 36%
58%

Other 60%
74%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Better health and family relations
Program group
No-program group

Lost week+ of work

43%
55%

Family says you're 71%

doing great 56%

Males: Child raised by 43%

others 70%

Males: Prescription 17%

drug abuse 43%

Males: Marijuana
48%
71%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

The program affected males and
females differently
80%
90% 84% 69%
80% 70%
70% 60%
Program Program
60% females 50% 45% males
50%
40% No- 40%
32% No-
30% program
30% program
20% females
20% males
10%
0% 10%
Regular high
0%
school
graduation 5+ arrests by
40
 Large public return on investment
(Per participant in 2000 constant dollars discounted 3% annually)

Welfare Education
Taxes on earnings Crime
Preschool

$ $
Benefits 3 7 $14K $171K $258K
K
K

Costs $15K
$12.90 return per dollar invested

$0 $25,000 $50,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000

 Study Conclusion

Any early childhood program can have these effects if its

teachers:

è Include children at risk of school failure in those they serve

è Help children participate in their own education by having

them plan, do, and review their own activities.

è Have substantial advanced training in education.

è Meet with families regularly to discuss their children’s

development.

è Operate the program daily for children 3 and 4 years old with
one teaching adult for every 8 children.