This summer some of you may have seen a widely distributed New York Times article entitled “The Case for $320,000 Kindergarten Teachers.” It began by posing this question: “How much do your kindergarten teacher and classmates affect the rest of your life?” It went on to state that while “economists have generally thought the answer was not much,” prior studies only correlated the quality of early schooling with later test scores. Those studies usually found that by high school, students who had high quality early educational experiences scored about the same as those who didn’t.
Enter a team of Harvard educational and economic researchers. They looked at many variables that impacted the adult achievements of some 12,000 people who were part of a longitudinal study over the course of some three decades. It turns out that when one looks at measures other than test scores -- likelihood of going to college; likelihood of saving for retirement; likelihood of having higher earnings, better health, and lower crime rates -- those who had a higher quality early education consistently outperformed those who didn’t. While the researchers couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason for this, they suspected that, among other reasons, “good early education can impart skills that last a lifetime -- patience, discipline, manners, perseverance.” They also posited that class size and the nature of one’s peer group played a role in the improved performance. However, the largest variation pointed to the quality of one’s teacher. The study estimated that “a standout kindergarten teacher is worth about $320,000 a year… That’s the present value of the additional money that a full class of students can expect to earn over their careers.”
While there is much more to fulfillment and positive accomplishment in life than high test scores and earnings, as we begin a new school year it is particularly affirming to see the value of a strong early education validated. This is especially true in challenging economic times that can make one question such investments. Know that as we launch the 2010-11 academic year, I feel confident that Country School children will continue to thrive not only while they’re here but also far into the future. It’s part of the legacy that our school, its atmosphere, and our remarkable teachers consistently impart. While researchers may it call it the “$320,000 difference,” it is what goes on here each and every day, and not just in kindergarten. Welcome back to school!