Investing in Early Childhood Development: Evidence to Support a Movement for Educational Change

Investing in Early Childhood Development

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Investing in Early Childhood Development Evidence to Support a Movement for Educational Change

Edited by Alvin R. Tarlov and Michelle Precourt Debbink

INVESTING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Copyright © Alvin R. Tarlov and Michelle Precourt Debbink, 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. First published in 2008 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN™ 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 and Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS Companies and representatives throughout the world. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin’s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN-13: 978–1–4039–7993–3 ISBN-10: 1–4039–7993–6 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Investing in early childhood development : evidence to support a movement for educational change / editors, Alvin R. Tarlov and Michelle Precourt Debbink. p. cm. ISBN 1–4039–7993–6 (alk. paper) 1. Early childhood education—United States. 2. Education and state— United States. 3. Child development—United States. 4. Children—Health and hygiene—United States. I. Tarlov, Alvin R. (Alvin Richard), 1929– II. Debbink, Michelle Precourt. LB1139.25.I595 2008 372.210973—dc22

2007028865

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: February 2008 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the United States of America.

This book is dedicated with reverence and gratitude to J. Fraser Mustard, medical educator, biomedical scientist, leader, and friend. From 1982 to 1996 he served as Founding President, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research; from 1996 to 2007 as Head, The Founder’s Network; and since 2004 as Founding Chairman, Council for Early Childhood Development, all in Toronto, Ontario. Over the past 20 years, through countless hours and days of conversation with Fraser, I acquired from his sophisticated understanding of the production of health and the importance of early childhood education to child health and development, the conceptual platform on which my interest in early childhood education and development is based. Alvin R. Tarlov

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Contents

List of Figures

ix

List of Tables

xi

Preface

xiii

List of Contributors

xxi

I The Science 1

2

Building Brain Architecture and Chemistry: A Primer for Policymakers Pat Levitt Children Develop in an Environment of Relationships The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, with Comments by Alvin R. Tarlov

3 The Coproduction of Human Development and Health Alvin R. Tarlov

3 27

41

II Early Childhood Intervention Programs 4

5

6

Effective Early Childhood Programs: Turning Knowledge Into Action Susan Landry

67

Learning from Others: State Efforts to Expand Services and Build Systems of Early Care and Education Kristie Kauerz

85

North Carolina’s Early Childhood Initiative: The Smart Start Story and Its Evaluation Donna Bryant

113

viii 7

Contents The Texas Plan Kay M. Albrecht, Kaitlin G. Guthrow, and Alvin R. Tarlov

131

Contributing Authors: James D. Calaway, Michelle Precourt Debbink, Todd Litton, Carol Shattuck, Jason Sabo, Thomas McIntire, James Strickland, Sandi Borden, Nancy Pechacek Hard, Sandra Lamm, Liz Plaster, and Shona Neigut

III Social Action and Public Policy Issues 8

9

Demographic and Related Economic Transformations of Texas: Implications for Early Childhood Development and Education Steve H. Murdock and Stephen L. Klineberg

159

Can Society Profit from Investing in Early Education Programs? Greg J. Duncan and Katherine Magnuson

177

Financing Early Childhood Care and Education Systems: A Standards-Based Approach Anne Mitchell and Louise Stoney

189

11 The Framing of Early Child Development and Education: Lessons from Communications Research Susan Nall Bales

215

Index

237

10

List of Figures

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

Two Neurons Connected Interneuronal Communication Synapse Formation Alternate Ways of Raising Young Pups Individual Developing Neurons The Production of Human Development and Health Social Context Social-Health Gradient in Children and Adults Cascading Effects of Enhanced Early Childhood Education and Development: A Life-Course Perspective 6.1 Quality of NC Preschool Child Care 8.1 Projected Percent of Labor Force by Educational Attainment in Texas, 2000 and 2040 8.2 Average Household Income in Texas, 2000–2040 (in 2000 dollars) 8.3 Projected Percent of Households in Poverty by Family Type in Texas, 2000 and 2040 8.4 Average Annual Household Income in Texas and the United States by Educational Attainment of Householder in 2000 8.5 Percent of Persons 251 Years of Age by Level of Education and Race/Ethnicity in 2000 and Projected to 2040 Assuming 1990–2000 Rates of Improvement in Education 8.6 Aggregate Income and Consumer Expenditures for Population 251 Years of Age in Texas in 2000 and Projected under Alternative Education Levels for 2040 10.1 A Model Early Care and Education System Design 10.2 Funding Aligned with Standards in State Early Childhood System 10.3 Hypothetical Model for Coordinating Standards and Financing Sources in a Tiered (Three-Star) System

7 8 12 18 19 43 47 50 52 120 167 168 168

169

171

172 190 194 204

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List of Tables

6.1 Theories of Change Underlying Smart Start 8.1 Total Population and Percent Population Change in Texas and the United States, 1850–2004 8.2 Population in Texas by Race/Ethnicity in 2000 and Projections of the Population in Texas by Race/Ethnicity from 2010 to 2040 8.3 Population in Texas