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Reflect and Discuss: The Perry Preschool Project

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Read the following description of an evaluation of the Perry Preschool Project. Then answer the questions that follow.

Program Description: A high-quality preschool program for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, the Perry Preschool Project was conducted from 1962 to 1967 but led to a longitudinal study.

Evaluation Purpose: The Perry Preschool Project evaluation sought to determine whether access to high-quality education could have a positive impact on preschool children and the communities where they live.

Methodology: The Perry Preschool Project was a small, but well-conducted, randomized controlled trial with a sample of 128 three- and four-year-old African American children living in poverty and assessed to be at high risk of school failure. The preschool children were randomly divided into two groups: One group entered a high-quality preschool program, and a comparison group received no preschool education. Investigators continued to follow the Perry Preschool Project participants throughout their lives in this landmark study.

Selected Key Findings: Evaluation results yielded large effects on educational attainment, income, criminal activity, and other important life outcomes, sustained well into adulthood.

At age 27, the participants who experienced the preschool program

 completed an average of almost 1 full year more of schooling (11.9 years vs. 11 years);

 spent an average of 1.3 fewer years in special education services—for example, for mental, emotional, speech, or learning impairment (3.9 years vs. 5.2 years); and

 had a 44% higher high school graduation rate (65% vs. 45%).

At age 40, the participants who experienced the preschool program

 had fewer teenage pregnancies;

 were more likely to have graduated from high school;

 were more likely to hold a job and have higher earnings;

 had committed fewer crimes; and

 were more likely to own their own home and car.

Source: Adapted from https://highscope.org/perry-preschool-project/

Evaluation in Today’s World

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