Educare Model Randomized Control Study

Closing the achievement gap by providing evidence of the effects of high-quality early education

To garner more evidence in support of birth-to-five early education programs, the Ounce of Prevention Fund is doing a randomized control study of the Educare model. One group of children is enrolled in an Educare program and a control group of children is receiving services at other programs available in their communities. By tracking the educational outcomes of both groups, we will be able to measure the impact of the Educare model and the true costs and benefits of a high-quality early education program.

The landmark randomized studies that previously documented the effects of early childhood education were conducted more than 20 years ago. The Educare Model Randomized Control Study, which began yearly data checks in the summer of 2010, will provide evidence of our birth-to-five early education programs on at-risk children in the current social and educational context.

The Ounce is partnering with the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina to conduct the study at five Educare Centers in the Educare Learning Network. The study will follow one cohort of children and families through the child's 3rd birthday, and will include child assessments, parent interviews and observations. It is very likely we will seek future funding to follow the children through their preschool years and into kindergarten and beyond.

Private funding is essential to evaluating our Educare model and sharing outcomes with the field. To learn more about or to support this project, please contact Barbara Hoffman, Director of Development, at 312.453.1930.

This project is generously supported by the Brady Education Foundation, the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, and the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

Related publications:

• Promising Early Returns: Educare Implementation Study Data
• Early Returns on Educare of Chicago



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