ABSTRACT
It is a scandal of the intervention literature, from HeadStart onwards, that although evidence has shown that the interventions have had effect on tests closely related to the intervention methodologies, few appear to have been accompanied by increased general school achievement of more than very modest amounts. Often no difference at all is found in comparison with controls. For example, Barnett and Escobar in an extensive survey of the economic costs and benefits of early intervention (Meisels and Shonkoff 1990) were able to cite only one example of increased school achievement. The Perry preschool programme had resulted in 67 per cent of an ex-preschool group graduating from high school, compared with 49 per cent of a comparable control group. What is the point of so much investment of effort by teacher and student if it did not result in better learning?
