Enrichment Programs and Long-Term Effects of Early Interventions: New Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Head Start Settings

Fuhua Zhai, Stony Brook University, State University of New York (SUNY)
C. Cybele Raver, New York University
Denise Lee, Stony Brook University, State University of New York (SUNY)

Research has suggested that the contextual and environmental factors, such as the enrichment programs that participants subsequently attend, play important roles in the long-term effects of early interventions. However, largely due to the lack of data on later school experiences, few studies have been conducted to directly address this question. Using data from the Chicago School Readiness Project (CSRP), a cluster-randomized controlled trial, we will investigate whether enrichment programs that target children's social and emotional learning (SEL) can improve academic and behavioral outcomes for all Head Start children and for those in CSRP treatment group. We will use several analytic strategies, including OLS with a rich set of controls, difference-in-difference, and principal score matching. The findings will provide new evidence regarding whether contextual and environmental factors, such as SEL programs, can help sustain children's initial gains from high-quality early interventions, which may have important implications for policymakers.