HighScope

The HighScope early childhood education approach, used in preschool, kindergarten, childcare, or elementary school settings, was developed in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1970. It is now common there and in some other countries.

The philosophy behind HighScope is based on child development theory and research, originally drawing on the work of Jean Piaget and John Dewey. Since then, the HighScope Curriculum has evolved to include the findings of ongoing cognitive-developmental and brain research. In its teaching practices, the HighScope Curriculum draws upon the work of developmental psychologist and educator Lev Vygotsky, especially the strategy of adult scaffolding — supporting children at their current developmental level and helping them build upon it — in a social setting where children have opportunities to choose materials, ideas, and people to interact within the projects they initiate. The adults working with the children see themselves more as facilitators or partners than as managers or supervisors.

Origin

As director of special services in the Ypsilanti, (Michigan) public school district, David Weikart became increasingly interested in the academic performance of a number of at-risk children from poor neighborhoods. He found that these students tend to do poorly on district-wide, standardized tests and also receive low scores in IQ assessments.

Weikart brought together, and collaborated with, a committee of elementary education leaders that included Perry School's Charles Eugene Beatty, Michigan's first African-American principal. Known as the Perry Preschool Project (1962), members discussed possible changes to teaching methods and curriculum choices. Even though they did not expect to radically change Ypsilanti's teaching core (which mostly worked), they explored why it seemingly failed a certain population of students.

While searching for better teaching methods and programs, Weikart (now also part of a special services committee tackling the same issue), zeroed in on programs for three- and four-year-olds. Outside the normal organization of the school district, Weikart hired four teachers and began operation of a preschool at Perry Elementary School.

Weikart and Perry School's teachers and staff chose to differ from traditional nursery school settings by designing a program that focused on a child's intellectual maturation rather than a child's social and emotional advances. They wanted a program that:

1. Possessed a firm, legitimate bed of theory for teaching/learning
2. Supported the child's talents through an active process of learning; and
3. Relied on teachers, administrators, and families to support the success of the program.

Effectiveness of the program

The HighScope Perry Preschool Project was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial of 123 children (58 were randomly assigned to a treatment group that received the program and a control group of 65 children that did not). Prior to the program, the preschool and control groups were equivalent in measures of intellectual performance and demographic characteristics. After the program the educational and life outcomes for the children receiving the program were much superior to outcomes for the children not receiving the program. Many of the program outcomes were significant or approaching significance.

Educational outcomes for preschool group (versus control group):

At age 27 follow-up

• Completed an average of almost 1 full year more of schooling (11.9 years vs. 11 years)
• Spent an average of 1.3 fewer years in special education services — e.g., for mental, emotional, speech, or learning impairment (3.9 years vs. 5.2 years)
• 44 percent higher high school graduation rate (66% vs. 45%)

Pregnancy outcomes for preschool group (versus control group):

At age 27 follow-up

• Much lower proportion of out-of-wedlock births (57% vs. 83%)
• Fewer teen pregnancies on average (0.6 pregnancies/woman vs. 1.2 pregnancies/woman) (not significant <.05)

Lifetime criminal activity for preschool group (versus control group):

At age 40 follow-up

• 46 percent less likely to have served time in jail or prison (28% vs. 52%)
• 33 percent lower arrest rate for violent crimes (32% vs. 48%)

Economic outcomes for preschool group (versus control group):

At age 40 follow-up

• 42 percent higher median monthly income ($1,856 vs. $1,308)
• 26 percent less likely to have received government assistance (e.g. welfare, food stamps) in the past ten years (59% vs. 80%)

Overall, a study documented a return to society of more than $16 for every tax dollar invested in the early care and education program. Heckman et al 2010 finds a lower benefit of $9.2 back on the dollar, mostly due to lower benefits from less crime (table 8). See also Heckman, Moon, Pinto, Savelyev, & Yavitz (2010a, b).

See also

• Compensatory Education
• Sekolah High/Scope Indonesia, an Indonesian national plus school that implements the HighScope Curriculum
• American Community School, an UAE school that implements the HighScope Curriculum
• Head to Toe Early Learning Center, a preschool in Addis Ababa that implements the HighScope Curriculum.
• Head Start (program)
• Universal preschool

References

• Hohmann, M., Weikart, D., & Epstein, A. S. (2008). Educating young children (3rd ed.). Ypsilanti, MI: HighScope Press.
• "What Is the History of HighScope?" - Provided by YMCA Child Care Services
• Schweinhart, L. J., Barnes, H. V., & Weikart, D. P. (1993). Significant benefits: The HighScope Perry Preschool Study through age 27. Ypsilanti, MI: HighScope Press.
• Schweinhart, L. J., Montie, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W. S., Belfield, C. R., & Nores, M. (2004). Lifetime effects: The HighScope Perry Preschool Study through age 40. Ypsilanti, MI: HighScope Press.

External links

• HighScope Educational Research Foundation
• HighScope UK