U.S. Researchers: “Children Who Attend Preschool Have Better Academic Skills”

Some preschools accept children starting at age three or four, or even younger, but not every child at that age is able to receive a preschool education in preparation for starting school. Before enrolling a child in preschool, parents should first consider whether the child is emotionally, cognitively, and physically ready to be with other children. So, must parents send their children to preschool?

A U.S. pediatric research team analyzed the benefits and costs of early childhood education. Although it may be difficult to call learning at such a young age “education,” experts found that children who attended preschool were more likely to pursue a college education after graduating from high school. This was true even when they had attended preschool for only a very short time.

In particular, children enrolled in preschools that taught reading, writing, mathematics, and other subjects demonstrated stronger academic skills than those who were not.

The researchers published their findings under the title “The Current State of Scientific Knowledge on Pre-Kindergarten Effects,” arguing that some preschool education programs even help reduce crime rates in the United States. They believe that sending young children to preschool has positive effects, which emerge several years later as the children grow. Children who experienced early childhood education also performed learning tasks better after entering elementary school.

The researchers followed a total of 1,400 children until they reached age 35. As adults, those who had attended preschool were 48% more likely to have earned a degree than those who had not. The findings were published in the 2018 edition of JAMA Pediatrics, an academic journal on child and adolescent health.

[FamTimes = Reporter Kang Gyu-jung]