By CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, and the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)

While the evidence is clear that pre-K makes a meaningful difference for children in the short and long term, children need access to high-quality programs to experience these benefits. Access, however, remains unequal, particularly to programs that provide high-quality experiences.“An Updated Look at Pre-K in Large American Cities,” research findings include:

• Participation in high-quality pre-K has been found to have a positive, direct impact on children’s health through avenues such as access to nutritious meals and health screenings, and a positive, indirect impact through reducing parental stress and supporting mental health. For example, a study of New York City’s pre-K program found pre-K enrollment increased the probability that a child was diagnosed with asthma or vision problems, received treatment for hearing or vision issues, and had a screening or immunization during the pre-K year. In addition, a recent Tulsa, Oklahoma, study found that children who enroll in pre-K earlier than their peers (i.e., at age 3 instead of 4) are more likely to experience earlier identification of health problems such as eczema or vision concerns, which can lead to earlier treatment.

• Enrollment in pre-K can help close long-standing opportunity gaps in education and academic achievement for historically marginalized groups. For example, research suggests that low-income children may be up to 12 months behind their more advantaged peers when they start kindergarten; however, a high-quality, universal pre-K program could reduce achievement gaps by 27% in math and 41% in reading.

• Dual language learnersBy CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, and National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)

While the evidence is clear that pre-K makes a meaningful difference for children in the short and long term, children need access to high-quality programs to experience these benefits. Access, however, remains unequal, particularly to programs that provide high-quality experiences.“An Updated Look at Pre-K in Large American Cities,” research findings include:

• Participation in high-quality pre-K has been found to have a positive, direct impact on children’s health through avenues such as access to nutritious meals and health screenings and a positive, indirect impact through reducing parental stress and supporting mental health. For example, a study of New York City’s pre-K program found pre-K  enrollment increased the probability a child was diagnosed with asthma or vision problems, received treatment for hearing or vision issues, and had a screening or immunization during the pre-K year. In addition, a recent Tulsa, Oklahoma, study found that children who enroll in pre-K earlier than their peers (i.e., at age 3 instead of 4) are more likely to experience earlier identification of health problems such as eczema or vision concerns, which can lead to earlier treatment.

• Enrollment in pre-K can help close long-standing opportunity gaps in education and academic achievement for historically marginalized groups. For example, research suggests that low-income children may be up to 12 months behind their more advantaged peers when they start kindergarten; however, a high-quality, universal pre-K program could reduce achievement gaps by 27% in math and 41% in reading.

• Dual language learners (DLLs) may uniquely benefit from pre-K attendance, particularly if they start early. For instance, one study of DLL children who enrolled in full-day pre-K before age 4 showed at least 90% of these children scored at least one level higher on an English proficiency test than their peers who did not enroll early.

• There are long-term benefits to pre-K participation, even if benefits may vary for different groups of children. Evidence from long-term studies of Head Start and intensive, small-scale interventions shows long-term benefits such as higher high school graduation rates and years of education completed, and lower rates of teenage pregnancy and crime.

•  Pre-K attendance has been shown to have a positive impact on children’s executive functioning skills, such that children who attend pre-K begin kindergarten with better executive functioning skills than children who did not attend kindergarten.

• Children who attend pre-K are less likely to be chronically absent in later school years and more likely to take more challenging coursework in high school. Not only were pre-K attenders less likely to be chronically absent, but they also had better attendance overall compared to non-attenders.

Decades of research show that high-quality early learning programs can positively impact children’s learning, development, and health. Therefore, we strongly believe that access to a high-quality early learning program is one of the best investments a city can make. With funding from the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, CityHealth provides cities with evidence-based policy solutions and practical tools to improve the health and well-being of their residents. CityHealth provides a framework for advancing policies using a medal rating system to assess their progress and encourage improvement in public health outcomes. 

Since 2017, CityHealth has partnered with the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), a nonpartisan research center, to conduct research on prekindergarten (pre-K) efforts operated at the city level, to promote its High-Quality, Accessible Pre-K policy solution.

(DLLs) may uniquely benefit from pre-K attendance, particularly if they start early. For instance, one study of DLL children who enrolled in full-day pre-K before age 4 showed at least 90% of these children scored at least one level higher on an English proficiency test than their peers who did not enroll early.

• There are long-term benefits to pre-K participation, even if benefits may vary for different groups of children. Evidence from long-term studies of Head Start and intensive, small-scale interventions shows long-term benefits such as higher high school graduation rates and years of education completed, and lower rates of teenage pregnancy and crime.

•  Pre-K attendance has been shown to have a positive impact on children’s executive functioning skills, such that children who attend pre-K begin kindergarten with better executive functioning skills than children who did not attend kindergarten.

• Children who attend pre-K are less likely to be chronically absent in later school years and more likely to take more challenging coursework in high school. Not only were pre-K attenders less likely to be chronically absent, but they also had better attendance overall compared to non-attenders.

Decades of research show that high-quality early learning programs can positively impact children’s learning, development, and health. Therefore, we strongly believe that access to a high-quality early learning program is one of the best investments a city can make. With funding from the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, CityHealth provides cities with evidence-based policy solutions and practical tools to improve the health and well-being of their residents. CityHealth provides a framework for advancing policies using a medal rating system to assess their progress and encourage improvement in public health outcomes. 

Since 2017, CityHealth has partnered with the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), a nonpartisan research center, to conduct research on prekindergarten (pre-K) efforts operated at the city level, to promote its High-Quality, Accessible Pre-K policy solution.