| Notes |
The birth of MELF
The concept behind MELF took root in 2003 following the release of a study by Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis researchers Art Rolnick and Rob Grunewald.2/ Their study demonstrated that investments in high-quality early education yield a high public return in terms of lower educational costs, crime rates, and social service expenses. The study also found that the highest returns came from investments in at-risk children.3/ According to Rolnick and Grunewald, "high quality" early education is characterized by well-trained teachers, low child-to-teacher ratios and the use of a research-based curriculum. |