We work on public policy at the national, state and local levels to give all young children high-quality early childhood experiences.
To the Ounce of Prevention Fund, the “achievement gap” is not a metaphor. It is a social outcome that we can see and measure.
Research shows that the achievement gap appears long before children reach kindergarten – in fact is can become evident as early as age nine months. And at-risk children who don’t receive a high-quality early childhood education are:
- 25% more likely to drop out of school
- 40% more likely to become a teen parent
- 50% more likely to be placed in special education
- 60% more likely to never attend college
- 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime
Early childhood programs are the most cost-effective way to ensure the healthy development of children in poverty and offer the greatest returns to society.
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