The Benefits of Prekindergarten for Middle-Income Children

Research has found high-quality prekindergarten programs to have important and lasting impacts on children’s development and success in school and beyond. Most of this research has focused on prekindergarten for economically disadvantaged children—those most likely to start school behind their more affluent peers. Because high-quality preschool produces such positive results for these children, the federal Head Start program is targeted to children in poverty, and the majority of state-funded prekindergarten programs give top priority to economically disadvantaged children. Yet, it is essential that middle-income children have opportunities to participate in high-quality early education experiences as well. Research shows that the need for high-quality preschool education does not stop at the eligibility limits for targeted preschool programs. Rather, it proceeds on a continuum up the income scale. Many middle-income children—particularly those from families in the lower portion of middle income—lack the opportunity to attend high-quality preschool programs and as a result often start school unprepared. This situation can seriously affect their chances for success throughout school.

This policy report examines the importance of improving the school readiness of middle-income children and the role high-quality prekindergarten can play in helping ensure that more of these children enter kindergarten with the cognitive, social, and emotional skills they need. We present evidence that middle-income children frequently lack sufficient access to good early education opportunities, often do not possess the school readiness skills they need when they first enter school, and in many cases have difficulties throughout school. Moreover, we present evidence that high-quality prekindergarten has been effective in addressing these problems by enabling middle-income children to be better prepared for school. Unfortunately, while 38 states invest in some kind of prekindergarten initiative, only two states currently make prekindergarten universally available to families who choose to participate. In addition, many states do not set adequate quality standards for their prekindergarten initiatives. Without strong quality requirements—for well-qualified teachers, high staff-child ratios and small classes, and a comprehensive curriculum, among other standards—prekindergarten programs will not produce the outcomes we want for middle-income children.