I often write about the importance of including early learning in efforts to improve K-12 education. But, this week economist Tim Bartik argues that child care, preschool and pre-kindergarten don’t need to wait for the perennially delayed and often derailed K-12-reform train.

Essentially, the Upjohn Institute economist says there are plenty of benefits to improving early education on its own.

 …We can get benefit-cost ratios exceeding one even if we implement just one of these strategies. Early childhood programs can have large net social benefits even if we are unable for political or financial reasons to also implement significant K-12 improvements. -- “Why early childhood programs needn’t wait for school reform.” InvestinginKids, 9/27/11.

I have one small criticism of Bartik’s analysis. He agrees there are bigger benefits from coordinating early learning and K-12. But, he cites the Chicago Child-Parent Center program as an example of early learning’s potential on its own. This is accurate; but that same study showed students who spent four to six years at a Child-Parent Center – a time roughly equivalent to PreK-3rd – had even better returns. 

Still, Bartik’s overall point is dead on and worth remembering amid all of the talk about creating a prek-12 school system and rewriting the No Child Left Behind Act. So, check out the short and easy-to-read story. Better yet, check out Bartik’s book “Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development.” ($32.85 at Amazon.)

Science Tackles Early Learning: This month Science magazine published an impressive series of articles in a special section on early education. It covers everything from early childhood mathematics to the effectiveness of early education intervention. I am just starting to wade through all of this copy, and I’ll check back with any useful reviews. (Thanks to Early Ed Watch for finding these stories.)