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90% of brain development occurs by age 4, before children enter kindergarten.
According to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, a child’s experiences during the earliest years of life have a lasting impact on the architecture of the developing brain. High-quality early education experiences provide a strong foundation for this brain architecture, affecting all future learning, behavior, and health.
Important research conducted by the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing has demonstrated that children who enter kindergarten behind in social-behavioral development are more likely to be held back, need more individualized supports and services, and be suspended or expelled.
Additionally, Nobel Prize-winning economist and University of Chicago professor James Heckman created an equation to evaluate the multiple lifetime benefits of high-quality early childhood education. Heckman determined that investing significant financial resources in ECE programs shows a return on investment (ROI) of up to 13%. Learn more about The Heckman Equation and other aspects of Professor Heckman’s research into the economics of human potential at heckmanequation.org.
Further Reading and Resources
- Louisiana Policy Institute for Children – Why Early Childhood Matters
- Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University – Understanding Brain Architecture
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing – Social-Behavioral Readiness in Kindergarten and Impacts on Long-Term Success
- The Heckman Equation – Invest in early childhood development: Reduce deficits, strengthen the economy