In
his recent State of the Union speech the President expressed his intent
to broaden the scope of Head Start, an early-education program
implemented for the purpose of improving the academic development of
disadvantaged children. Specifically, he called for expanding the
current program into a "universal preschool system" across the entire
country. Anyone who cares about children and helping them develop their
potential is inclined to applaud such an initiative. But, before we
let our emotions take over, some basic facts need to be considered.
A
White House Fact Sheet (See first link below) provides some of the
details of the President's plan. Some early analysis is at the second
link. Not found in the fact sheet is what costs would be added to the
current administration's annual $1.5 billion investment. Notably
it builds on existing federal-state partnerships and would, in
effect, extend the federal government's already extensive reach into
state and local control over early education. Head Start has existed
since 1965 and has cost more than $180 billion. Our return on that
investment? Nothing! Exactly nothing according to the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) who administers the program. In 2010
HHS released a study (Head Start Impact Study) which, according to The
Heritage Foundation, "tracked the progress of three- and four-year-olds
entering Head Start through kindergarten and first grade. Overall, Head
Start had little to no positive effects for children who were granted
access." See link three. A follow-on study found that "By third grade,
Head Start had little to no effect on cognitive, social-emotional,
health, or parenting outcomes of participating children." See link
three. These studies found that "Of the 142 outcomes measured in four
categories (cognitive, social-emotional, health, and parenting
practices) there were no measurable patterns of beneficial outcomes."
What is interesting (maybe instructive) is that the follow-on study was
published October 2012 but not released to the public until just before
Christmas (timed so that no one would notice). Incredibly, mere weeks
later in his 2013 State of the Union message the President touted his
plan to expand the program acting as if HHS's evidence of its
failure does not exist. Why should he? It is politically
popular. Makes him look good. On the other hand, given our nation's
dire financial condition a proposal to expand a failing program with
unspecified added costs suggests there may be an absence of good
judgement. But, then again it is likely that anyone who disparages the
President's plan will be accused of not loving children, or worse.
George Burns
No comments:
Post a Comment