There was a great deal of debate in the past legislative session concerning
investment in education and the rising prison and juvenile costs. Legislation
was introduced to fund Head Start. The bill was held in JFAC without action.
The Rand Corporation just completed a nationwide study of early childhood
programs. An article concerning this report appears in today's Spokesman
Review on page one. This is the most comprehensive study to date of programs
designed to improve the lives of poor young children. The study reviewed
nine programs located across the U.S. The study reports that programs
designed to improve the lives of poor young children has found that investments
in the first five years of childhood yield substantial and lasting benefits
not only to the children and their families but also to their communities.
Rand found that most program improved the participating children's subsequent
academic achievement and decreased the likelihood the children would grow up
to lead lives of crime. For every dollar spent on the early childhood programs,
society later saved several dollars on welfare, special education, and criminal
justice. Savings of from $20,000 - $25,000 per child were realized in
several studies and the positive impact could be still measured after 27
years of students enrolled in a program in Michigan.
The average per pupil cost in Head Start runs about $5,000/year. The Rand
study suggets that the early childhood intervention programs are most likely
to yield savings when they target the neediest children. This is the criteron
being utilized in the Idaho Head Start Program. The cost of delivering
programs to children from lower middle income families and children with
two parents at home outweighed the monetary benefits that accured.
The Rand study suggests that well designed, targeted programs can have lasting
impacts on the chidren they reach and the communities where they live. The
most successful programs appeared to have three things in common They offered
intensive services to children--and sometimes to their mothers as well--often
over two or more years; they included a well developed curriculum that
changed with a child's growing needs and abilities; and they drew on highly
trained
staffs that were closely supervised and monitored. The Idaho State Head
Start Program includes mothers. There are approximately 8,500 children
eligible for Head Start Programs in Idaho, and about 2,200 are enrolled. The
criterion of the poorest of the poor is followed in enrolling students into
the program.
Here we have positive evidence that investment in our youngest poor results in
lasting benefits to society if the elements of successful programs are followed.
The importance of families is paramount in the raising of these children
and families must be included in program activities.
Those of you interested in further information on this study can check out
Rand's web site at http://ww.rand.org/publications/MR/MR898.feature/
Rep. Tom Trail/Dist. 5
Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
2039 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel: (208) 882-6077
Fax: (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail@moscow.com