"This volume presents research findings on the effects of early childhood propgrams and practices in the first decade of life and their implications for policy development and reform. The contributors are leading researchers in the multidisciplinary field of human development and in early childhood learning. Effects and cost-effectiveness of the most influential model, state, and federallly-funded programs, policies, and practices are described. These include Head Start, Early Head Start, the WIC Nutrition program, Nurse Family Partnership, and Perry Preschool as well as school reform strategies. The volume provides a unique multidisciplinary approach for understanding and improving interventions, practices, and policies to optimally foster human captial over the life course"--