Could Preschool Answer the Current US Budget Woes?
You might want to start putting your days in nursery school on your resume. A recent study found that children in the U.S. with access to preschool almost always outperformed their peers — even decades after the class adjourned, says NPR's Planet Money.
The results were astonishing. Kids from the preschool group were less likely to be arrested and more likely to have a job. Among those with jobs, those who went to preschool made more money than those who did not.
There are other benefits as well. Children who attend preschool are more likely to have a savings account, get sick less often, and own homes. These factors could greatly improve their quality of life, reports one long-term study.
Preschool in the federal budget could be a small investment that would reap big returns. The study reported that for every dollar spent, the government would directly save almost $1.06. In other words, if preschool were subsidized, both the recipients and the government would benefit. The feds would collect more income taxes while the costs of incarceration and welfare would decrease — a no-brainer for a government looking to cut long-term spending without increasing the tax rate.
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