On the topic of early education, before we are fleeced with money no one has, one need only look at the Obama administration’s own abysmal research, Head Start Impact, from October 2012.

The durable effect of Head Start and early childhood education in general on children’s outcomes has been the focus of much study. Longitudinal data from the evaluation of Early Head Start showed a pattern of early positive impacts that do not endure into elementary school, according to the research.

At the outset of formal school, a Head Start child demonstrates initial cognitive benefit. In a short span, those benefits are soon matched by non-Head Start children. Despite a lengthening body of research on the relatively rapid dissipation of early cognitive impacts, education researchers point to some evidence suggesting positive effects of Head Start on a participants’ later life such as later school success and early adulthood outcomes.

Such research based on assessing an adult through the prism of rose-colored glasses should be read with some skepticism; statistics don’t lie, statisticians do.

Remember, this same administration expresses to the uninformed public that reducing a budget increase is a budget cut.

The federal government is forever desiring to place young children into government-funded institutions at an ever-increasing early age.

The success of these institutions is stated best by a recent letter writer: The sad truth is that today 75 percent of 17-24 year-olds are unfit to serve in our armed services. Data from the Department of Defense indicate that these young people have one or more disqualifiers: they lack proper education, are physically unfit or already have a serious criminal record.

Bill Perfetto

Gardiner