A Commitment to Improving K-12 Educational Achievement Begins in the First 5 Years of Life Ramey & Ramey, 2000.

A Commitment to Improving

K-12 Educational Achievement

Begins in the First 5 Years of Life

Ramey & Ramey, 2000

Synaptogenesis by Brain Region

Adapted from Huttenlocher in

Ramey & Ramey Right from Birth

(1999)

Seven Essential Transactions ForCaregivers with Young Children

1. Encourage exploration

2. Mentor in basic skills

3. Celebrate developmental advances

4. Rehearse and extend new skills

5. Protect from inappropriate disapproval,

teasing, and punishment

6. Communicate richly and responsively

7. Guide and limit behavior Ramey & Ramey, 1999Right from Birth

Effects of Mothers’ Speech on Infant Vocabulary

Huttenlocher et al, Developmental

Psychology, (1991)

Evidence-based Skillsfor Learning to Read

• Oral Language Comprehension• Phonological Awareness• Letter Name Knowledge• Concepts about Print

Neuman and Dickinson, Handbook of Early

Literacy Research, 2000

The Impact of Early Environmentson Children’s Developmental Competence

The Importance of Good Schoolsand Summer Programs

It is the totality of a child’s

experience that lays the

foundation for a lifetime of

greater or lesser competency.Ramey & Ramey, 2000

Key Research Question for Abecedarian (ABC) Project

Can the cumulative developmental toll experienced by high-risk childrenbe prevented or reduced significantlyby providing systematic, high-quality, early childhood education frombirth through kindergarten entry?

The Abecedarian (ABC) Project is a randomized controlled trial (RCT)

that tests the efficacy of early childhood education for high-risk

children and their families.

Control Group _• Adequate nutrition• Supportive social services• Low-cost or free primary

health care

Abecedarian Preschool Program

Treatment Group _• Adequate nutrition• Supportive social services• Free primary health care• Preschool treatment:

Intensive (full day, 5 days/week,50 weeks/year, 5 years)

“Learningames” CurriculumCognitive / Fine MotorSocial / SelfMotorLanguageIndividualized pace

Campbell & Ramey, 1995American Educational Research Journal

Preschool Results(Birth to 5)

Z Scores and Mean Standardized Scores for High-Risk Preschool Treatment and ControlChildren in the Abecedarian Project at Nine Preschool Measurement Occasions

Ramey et al, 2000 Applied Developmental Science

Percent of Abecedarian Sample in Normal IQRange (>84) by Age (longitudinal analysis)

Martin, Ramey, & Ramey, 1990American Journal of Public Health

Verbal Scale Scores (McCarthy)for Abecedarian (ABC) Project

Ramey & Campbell, 1979

American Journal of Mental Deficiency

Active Mother-Child Involvement(such as talking, touching, playing with toys/game, reading)

Farran & Ramey, 1980 Child Development

Ramey et al, 2000Applied Developmental Science

Abecedarian ProjectPost-High School Education for Teen Mothers

Abecedarian (ABC) Preschool Findings Replicated in theFirst 3 Years of Life in Randomized Controlled Trials

(RCT’s)

Arkansas

Connecticut

Florida

Massachusetts

New York

Ramey & Ramey, 2000in Securing the Future

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Texas

Washington

Infant Health and Development ProgramMaternal Education X Treatment Group

Ramey & Ramey, 1998 Preventive Medicine

School Results

Reading Achievement Over Time

Campbell & Ramey, 2001 Developmental Psychology

Math Achievement Over Time

Campbell & Ramey, 2001 Developmental Psychology

Abecedarian Project

Ramey & Ramey, 1999 MR/DD Research Review

Early Adult Results

Campbell, Ramey, et al, 2002 Applied Developmental Science

Percent in Skilled Job or Higher Education

Campbell, Ramey, et al, 2002 Applied Developmental Science

Age at Birth of First Child

Key Findings from Abecedarian Project(“Abecedarian” …one who learnsthe basics such as the alphabet)

18 Months to 21 Years Old• Intelligence (IQ)• Reading and math skills• Academic locus-of-control• Social Competence• Years in school,

including college• Full-time employment

• Grade Repetition• Special Education

placement• Teen Pregnancies• Smoking and drug

use

Plus benefits to mothers of these children (education, employment)

Ramey et al, 2000

Why Some Well-Intended Preschool ProgramsHave Failed to Close the Achievement Gap

• Poorly prepared teachers• Educational programs not intensive enough• Remedial rather than preventive focus• No direct teaching of important cognitive and

linguistic concepts, vocabulary• Redundant or poorly coordinated family and

early childhood services

Recommendations for Governors

Provide strong leadership for a comprehensiveearly childhood educational initiative that is linked explicitly to K-12 learning and achievement

– targeted for high risk children– grounded in scientific evidence– builds upon existing resources

Recommendations for Governors

Combine funding streams, promote innovativepartnerships, and strengthen existing programs that serve children from prenatal care through age 5

– offer strong incentives for collaboration– eliminate duplicative and ineffective programs– link future funding to performance

Sources of Available EarlyChildhood Education Funding include:

• Elementary and Secondary Education Act:Title I: Disadvantaged ChildrenTitle IV: 21st Century School – After SchoolTitle V: Innovative Block Grant

• Early Head Start• Head Start• Child Care Development Fund (CCDF)• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)• Early Reading First• Social Services Block Grant• Even Start• Early Intervention (0-2 yrs; 3-5 yrs)

Recommendations for Governors

Design and implement a strong accountabilitysystem that continuously monitors program quality and documents child progress and outcomes

–To inform quality improvements –To strengthen training and technical assistance–To reward performance

The future for our nation’s children

• Positive educational outcomes can be achieved for all children – during pre-K years and beyond

• Benefits include much more than “just reading”

• Reading success is a key, because of strong linkages to all learning and social adjustment

• Strategic investments yield substantial social and fiscal benefits to society (at least 1-to-4 cost:benefit ratio)

For free copies of this PowerPoint presentation along with a list of references, contact:

Drs. Craig and Sharon RameyGeorgetown Center on Health and Education

Georgetown University

(202) 687-2874email: [email protected]

[email protected]

Also available from the National Governors Association