In this 10-page excerpt from “Big Ideas for Children: Investing in Our Nation’s Future,” Professor Heckman discusses his early findings on the need for early childhood education and the economic benefits of providing it. Written while Heckman and his team were still analyzing the economic returns from the Perry Preschool project, it provides the foundation for subsequent research. Please note that the ROI estimate of the Perry Preschool Program outlined in this paper has been revised to 7-10% per annum, per child. For an updated figure, please see The Rate of Return to the HighScope Perry Preschool Program, published in 2010.