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A growing body of research shows the value and importance of high-quality early education programs—especially for disadvantaged and at-risk children.

While much of the existing research on the effectiveness of these programs focuses on short-term academic gains, there’s less research on their impact over time.

Two recent studies help reduce that research gap by examining long-term benefits for two kindergarten readiness efforts: a traditional preschool program and a home-based kindergarten readiness program.

Their findings lend new backing to arguments supporting early education initiatives.

Should Preschool Programs Start at Birth?

Nobel laureate James Heckman and his colleagues recently published a report that suggests policymakers could make a bigger difference for children living in poverty by adopting early childhood programs that begin at birth.

According to the researchers’ estimates, the long-term financial impact amounts to roughly a 13 percent annual rate of return.

“The gains are significant because quality programs pay for themselves many times over,” Heckman wrote. “The cost of inaction is a tragic loss of human and economic potential that we cannot afford.”

Their research analyzed the long-term benefits of two high-quality North Carolina programs targeted at serving disadvantaged children and their families. The programs enrolled infants when they were eight weeks old and cared for them five days a week, 50 weeks a year, until age 5. The study then tracked participants’ lives through age 35.

Children in the programs were more likely to graduate from high school, less likely to be incarcerated than their counterparts who stayed home or enrolled in low-quality programs, had higher IQs and were healthier during the course of their lives, according to the study.

Their mothers also benefited from the programs: They were more likely to get further education and advance at work, boosting their income.

The zero-to-five programs cost about $18,500 per year for each child enrolled. But for every dollar invested, the program generated a societal benefit of $6.30, according to Heckman.

An Innovative At-Home Program Gets Results

Still, despite the long-term gains, high-quality preschool programs like those Heckman studied require significant up-front investments. Those costs are often a barrier for policymakers.

When children don’t have access to high-quality preschool programs, is there a different option that could still achieve positive results?

Another longitudinal study says yes.

UPSTART is an innovative kindergarten readiness program that combines adaptive learning software from the nonprofit Waterford Institute with a robust parent engagement program to deliver instruction at home.

For just 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week, children use the online curriculum to get adaptive lessons, digital books, songs and activities designed to develop their reading, math and science skills. The adaptive learning software gives each child a unique learning experiences based on his or her needs.

UPSTART’s parent engagement program works to get parents involved early and deeply. After initial trainings, each family is assigned a personal care representative who monitors the child’s progress and provides support, resources and technical assistance.

With a turnkey cost of $2,000 per child, including computers and Internet for families who qualify, its price tag is considerably lower than high-quality in-person programs like those Heckman studied.

Utah is one of eight regions across the U.S. running the UPSTART program. It’s also the longest-running and largest implementation. Since 2009, the state-funded program has served more than 30,000 families.

Annual external studies of Utah’s UPSTART program show year-after-year that UPSTART children have significantly stronger learning rates than children in a control group.

But a recent independent study published by the Utah State Office of Education showed the longitudinal impact of the program for the first time.

Once again, the research showed UPSTART significantly increased literacy skills for preschool-age children in the short-term—especially among at-risk populations.

Longitudinal data showed those gains lasted beyond kindergarten with participants still outperforming state averages on standardized tests in grades kindergarten through fourth in language arts, math and science. Some of the greatest gains were made by at-risk student populations, including dual language learners, low-income, minority and special education students.

“UPSTART is a great option for children who may not have access to other high-quality Pre-K programs, or for those who might need additional academic support in the home,” Claudia Miner, PhD, UPSTART’s director, said. “This research shows it brings lasting academic growth to students, while also engaging families early in their child’s education.”