Educational benefits extend to adults.

• Position: Head Start - Brief article

Head Start programs may help low-income parents improve their educational status, according to a study by researchers at Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill. The study is one of the first to examine whether a child's participation in the Federal program benefits mothers and fathers--in particular parents' educational attainment and employment.

"Studies on early childhood education programs have historically focused on child outcomes," says study lead author Terri Sabol, an assistant professor of human development and social policy. "We asked whether there could be beneficial effects for the parents."

Head Start is the oldest and largest federally funded preschool program in the U.S. From its inception, the initiative was designed to support both children and parents facing economic hardship. It currently serves more than 1,000,000 children below the poverty line, just under half of all eligible kids, and it receives almost $8,000,000,000 in annual funding.

"In our...