New research from the University of Texas Population Research Center finds that attending preschool serves to bridge the academic gap between students from families with high incomes and those from families with lower incomes. The results of the research showed that test score gaps were reduced between rich and poor and white and nonwhite children among those who attended preschool.
The data showed there was little advantage to preschool for children from upper-income families. But for youngsters from lower-income families, test scores improved significantly for children who attended preschool.
Elliot Tucker-Drob, the author of the study who is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Texas, notes that due to the high cost of quality preschools, “the very children who would benefit most from preschools are those who are least likely to be enrolled.”
The research was published in the March issue of the journal Psychologial Science.
