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An article in Preschool Matters, the newsletter of the National Institute for Early Education Research, reported the results of a British study confirming that all children benefit from quality preschool participation:

"New research findings refute the myths — used by opponents of preschool for all — that pre-K benefits ultimately fade out and are of no benefit to middle-income children. Instead, the evidence concludes the opposite — that high-quality pre-K sets the stage for later success and for children from middle- and low-income families.

"Edward Melhuish and colleagues found that 10-year-olds who had attended high-quality preschool scored 27 percent higher in math skills and performed better in other subjects compared to their peers who had attended low-quality preschools. Earlier studies comparing the preschoolers to children who had attended no preschool produced similar findings.

"Researchers determined that the benefits for children who attend a good preschool include improved mathematics, reading and social skills over several years. Melhuish, a professor of human development at Birkbeck, University of London, says he and his colleagues found that high-quality preschools offer learning opportunities over and above what most homes can provide. Children's ability to work independently improves significantly as a result of preschool, something he points out is a high predictor of future academic success."

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