The Build Back Better spending package passed by the House of Representatives early Nov. 19 funds free preschool and other provisions that add up to “the largest investment in child care in the nation’s history.” The economic rationale for that investment is based on a body of research from Director James J. Heckman and colleagues, including recent work by coauthors associated with CEHD.

A group of infants and toddlers in Jamaica who received developmental stimulation—via home visits and nutritional support—continue to show benefits from this intervention as adults three decades later, according to a new study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Highlighting recent research on the long-lasting benefits of the Perry Preschool Project, an American Public Radio Marketplace story made the case Investing in early childhood education is an effective way to create a more equitable society. The story cited research from Jorge Luis García, Frederik H. Bennhoff, Duncan Ermini Leaf, and James Heckman that used real life-cycle data on program participants, their siblings, and their children to produce more accurate estimates of the return on investment of such programs.

With free universal preschool – part of the proposed American Families Plan – “you’re creating a ladder into the middle class,” CEHD director Prof. James J. Heckman told the New York Times. The story cited the Center’s long-running research on the Perry Preschool Program that shows quality early childhood education can lead to greater earnings, higher levels of education and less criminal activity.