Disparities in Child Outcomes as Early as 9 Months of Age

A new Child Trends study commissioned by the Council of Chief State School Officers finds that disparities in child outcomes between poor, at-risk, and more advantaged children are evident as early as 9 months and grow larger by 24 months of age. These disparities exist across cognitive, social, behavioral, and health outcomes. The study, Disparities in Early Learning and Development: Lessons from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (2009), finds low income and low maternal education to be the factors most strongly associated with poorer outcomes among very young children. It also finds that the more risk factors a child has, the more profound these disparities are.

Full Report (pdf)

Executive Summary (pdf)