Quotes are taken from a message written by Ron to Charles on 07/20/96...
RM>I get that, but what does "falls back into line" MEAN?  Does
RM>this mean that they stop learning and the others catch up?
RM>Does it mean that their IMPROVEMENT stagnates, but they're
RM>still ahead of where their peers are (after all, we "know" 
RM>that the most rapid learning takes place in the very early
RM>years of life, and by grade 3 we're past that point)?
The children who participate in Head Start score higher on standardized 
achievement tests than do equally dis-advantaged children who do not 
attend Head Start, until grade 4.  After that, test scores no longer 
show a significant difference.  Now, if that change comes about 
because other children catch up, or Head Start kids fall back or because 
the tests simply no longer measure the difference, I don't know.
RM>CB>I suppose that the children who do not go through Head Start 
RM>CB>eventually catch up through in-school experiences and the process 
RM>CB>of maturation.  But that's just a guess.
RM>
RM>It's the same guess that leads some to say that if the
RM>others totally catch up, why are we throwing money away?
RM>That's what's confusing me; did we accomplish anything or
RM>not?
Sounds like you want to make a "political" judgement.  Go for it.
Chuck
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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