Currently the U.S. is investing more than 2x’s the amount of money in educational programs for older students then it is in early learning programs. The New York Times recently published the following chart (the research was provided by College Board) highlighting the spending discrepancies between these two age groups:
Is this the best way to be spending our money?
NO
One economist, James Heckman, argues that we get the most bang for our buck if we invest in early education (contrary to what is actually happening) because the students can then build on that foundation for the remainder of their education. However, if the money is invested as an intervention for older students, it requires a much larger investment in order to remediate the cumulative gaps that have resulted from continuous failure to remediate problems from a younger age.
YES
Of course there is always another side to the coin. A recent study by researchers at Stanford and Harvard Universities has found that investing in programs for students about to enter college leads to higher college enrollment then does investment in early education.
NO
To go back to the other side of the argument, it is noted that these higher college enrollment rates are not a result of increased skills, but rather the increased accessibility of college for these students. Thus, many of these programs increase the quantity of degrees awarded, whereas, if a student is given a proper foundation from the start of their education they are more likely to gain a quality education.
In terms of where to invest money in education, it all comes down to what we value more: the quality of education or the quantity of college degrees handed out. Of course we can’t abandon spending for one or the other, but it would be wise to consider increased investment in early education, especially with the National Assessment of Educational Progress reporting 2/3rds of students in 4th and 8th grade scoring at basic to below basic reading levels.
What do you think?