Heckman on Our Minds
Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman--and his research on early childhood education--have been very much in the news in recent months. In late August, authors from the Reason Foundation distorted this research in a Wall Street Journal hit job claiming that pre-school actually harms children.
Heckman, a strong supporter of early childhood, quickly called them out on their distortions, and researcher David Kirp followed suit a few days later. In Sunday's New York Times Magazine, Paul Tough cites Heckman's conclusions that "specific interventions in the lives of poor children can diminish" the skill gap that separates them from their wealthier peers, "as long as those interventions begin early (ideally in infancy) and continue throughout childhood."
In late July, David Brooks drew on Heckman to underscore the importance of closing the gaps that divide poor from wealthy children even before they enter school. In late June, we interviewed Heckman about his support for the Broader, Bolder Approach to Education, which includes early childhood in a program that combines ambitious school improvement strategies with out-of-school supports for student achievement.
The increased use and misuse of Heckman's research is one sign among many that high-quality universal early-childhood education is gaining traction. It will be interesting to see how it fares after the election.
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