Abstract:
This thesis is a benefit-cost projection for the University of Oregon Brain Development Lab’s Creating Connections early childhood intervention program. Using student intellectual outcome results of classroom trials of the precursor PCMC-A preschool intervention tested in Head Start preschools in Lane County, Oregon, this analysis utilizes the determined benefit outcomes of several older and more extensively studied early childhood education programs to construct estimates of benefits students and society can expect from Creating Connections. This study projects costs of implementation of Creating Connections in several sizes of schools and school districts, and analyzes expected benefits resulting from the program under differing sets of assumptions, to create a range of benefit-cost ratios. Overall, this project determines that Creating Connections has a strong potential to provide high returns to investment, with a projected benefit-cost ratio of 22:1 under conservative restrictions.