Abecedarian Project

The Carolina Abecedarian Project was a controlled experiment, started in 1972, aimed at studying the potential benefits of early childhood education for children from impoverished backgrounds to enhance school readiness. It was conducted in North Carolina, by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. This long-term study, by enhancing early childhood educational opportunities as well as providing greater health care and nutritional support, showed positive results in young adulthood by increasing the number of individuals pursuing post-secondary education and holding long-term and professional positions as well as decreasing the incidence of teenage parenthood.