A P R I O R I T Y F O R G R O W T H A N D E Q U I T Y d e z ori 40925 h ut A e r u s o cl s Di c bli EEaarrllyy u P d e z CChhiilldd ri o h ut A e r u s o cl DDEEVVEELLOOPPMMEENNTT s Di c bli u P d e z ri o h FFRROOMM ut MMeeaassuurreemmeenntt A e r u s clo TTOOAAccttiioonn s Di c bli u P d e z ri o h ut A e r u s o cl s DiEDITED BY MARY EMING YOUNG WITH LINDA M. RICHARDSON c bli u P Early Child Development From Measurement to Action Early Child Development From Measurement to Action A Priority for Growth and Equity Editor Mary Eming Young with Linda M. Richardson Children and Youth Unit Human Development Network THE WORLD BANK Washington, D.C. © 2007 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington, DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org E-mail: [email protected] All rights reserved 1 2 3 4 5 10 09 08 07 This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this volume do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Direc- tors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgement on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. 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ISBN-10: 0-8213-7086-3 ISBN-13: 978-0-8213-7086-5 eISBN: 0-8213-7087-1 DOI: 10.1596/978-0-8213-7086-5 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Early child development from measurement to action : a priority for growth and equity / editor, Mary Eming Young with Linda M. Richardson. p. cm. ISBN-13: 978-0-8213-7086-5 (alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-8213-7086-3 (alk. paper) ISBN-13: 978-0-8213-7087-2 1.Child development. 2.Child welfare. 3.Early childhood education. 4.Children—Services for. 5.Evaluation research (Social action programs) I.Young, Mary E., 1955– II.Richardson, Linda M. HQ767.9.E2516 2007 362.71—dc22 2007008832 Cover photo by Alejandro Lipszyc. Cover design by Drew Fasick. Contents Foreword vii Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Introduction The ECD Agenda: Closing the Gap 1 Mary Eming Young I. Investment in ECD—Benefits for Society and Children Chapter 1 A Productive Investment: Early Child Development 17 Rob Grunewald and Arthur Rolnick Chapter 2 Early Child Development Is a Business Imperative 33 Charlie Coffey Chapter 3 Experience-based Brain Development: Scientific Underpinnings of the Importance of Early Child Development in a Global World 43 J. Fraser Mustard II. Evaluating ECD Outcomes—Lessons from Longitudinal Studies Chapter 4 Outcomes of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study and Michigan School Readiness Program 87 Lawrence J. Schweinhart Chapter 5 The Abecedarian Experience 103 Joseph Sparling, Craig T. Ramey, and Sharon L. Ramey v vi Contents III. Monitoring ECD Interventions—Country Experiences Chapter 6 Colombia: Challenges in Country-level Monitoring 131 Beatriz Londoño Soto and Tatiana Romero Rey Chapter 7 Step by Step: A Multicountry Perspective on Implementing and Monitoring ECD Programs 155 Sarah Klaus Chapter 8 Canada: Longitudinal Monitoring of ECD Outcomes 167 Jane Bertrand Chapter 9 The Early Development Instrument: A Tool for Monitoring Children’s Development and Readiness for School 183 Magdalena Janus IV. Financing of ECD Initiatives—Innovations Chapter 10 Jamaica: Recent Initiatives in Early Childhood Policy 205 Omar Daviesand Rose Davies Chapter 11 Brazil’s Millennium Fund for Early Childhood 215 Osmar Terra and Alessandra Schneider Chapter 12 Dominican Republic: Competitive Fund for Educational Innovations 225 Clara Baez and Guadalupe Váldez Chapter 13 Indonesia: Public Financing of Block Grants for Privately Delivered Services 233 Nina Sardjunani, Ace Suryadi, and Erika Dunkelberg V. Looking to the Future—The Next 5 Years Chapter 14 Measuring Child Development to Leverage ECD Policy and Investment 253 J. Fraser Mustard and Mary Eming Young Index 293 Foreword In our increasingly global world, the quality and competence of the future population hinges on the development of children who are born today. Experts have recently estimated that 219 million children below age 5 in developing countries are not reaching their develop- ment potential due to adverse environments and experiences. Pover- ty, poor health and nutrition, as well as lack of stimulation create life- long developmental barriers that have devastating effects on a person’s learning, productivity, and earning potential. These effects result in unfortunate negative impacts on households, national econ- omies, and, potentially, global markets. The largest number and highest prevalence of disadvantaged young children live in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Just 10 countries account for two-thirds of these children. The numbers at risk may be even larger, however, because so many are not counted. What is clear is that these vulnerable children are found beyond the poorest families and across all social gradients. The estimate of 219 million is thus conservative, but nevertheless a strong basis for advo- cating global action to improve early child development at all levels in all countries and, particularly, for poor and vulnerable children in developing countries. In a world of open borders and economic interdependence, pover- ty and inequality translate into social, economic, and political threats to security, and the whole world suffers the consequences. The global imperative for humanity’s 21st century, as fueled by technology, in- novation, and access to information, is human development. The World Bank embraces this imperative, beginning with reduction of poverty and emphasis on equity. Poverty and weak human development outcomes go hand in hand. A child’s trajectories for physical and mental health and for cognitive, social, and emotional development are set very early. vii viii Foreword Poverty correlates strongly with short-, medium-, and long-term neg- ative outcomes, such as high infant mortality rates and malnutrition, low school enrollment and achievement, and high prevalence of in- fectious and chronic diseases in childhood and beyond. Children liv- ing in poverty have worse outcomes overall in health, nutrition, and education than do other children. Later in adulthood, the same indi- viduals become victims of high unemployment, which increases their vulnerability and exposure to undesirable social outcomes. Since weak outcomes in human development also are associated with corol- laries of poverty, whole communities become caught in a vicious cy- cle of limited access to health and education services and lower uti- lization of services that are often of low quality and/or too costly. Economists and business leaders around the world are recognizing that improving early child development is the foundation for en- hancing human development. Early child development (ECD) pro- grams help to level the playing field for all children—before they begin school—and to close the opportunity gap for disadvantaged children who live in poverty. Sound economic data show that ECD programs are the most cost-effective way for reducing poverty and generating economic growth. Investing in ECD programs—which integrate health and nutrition, care and nurturance, and stimulation—is both productive and posi- tive for children and society. ECD programs enable children to grow healthy and well, to reach the potential inherent in their birth, and ultimately to contribute to society. Direct benefits also extend to each child’s family and community. ECD programs are community-driven. They depend on a supportive network of organizations and institu- tions that deliver the combined services and a systems approach that engages multiple stakeholders across sectors at community, national, and international levels. The programs complement and add value to existing health and education systems, and they offer opportunities for tagging on other services. Time and again, ECD programs have fos- tered linkages between families and a broader array of social services. We know the attributes and essential ingredients of effective ECD programs and policies. Priority action is now needed to ensure that