Half of Heckman’s argument

1. It’s about the labor market2. It’s not only about the labor market3. Cognitive skills are important4. Non-cognitive skills are too5. 3 and 4 interact6. Disparities in 3 and 4 emerge early

(corollary: skills beget skills)7. Schools matter8. Families also matter, and “the family”

is changing

Effects of character building

“While Perry’s impact on all three categories of cognitive and character skills (IQ, academic motivation, negative externalizing behavior) had statistically significant effects on life outcomes, the most permanent, life-changing and economically significant effects came from the program’s enhancement of character skills. For example, the impact on character skills led to increases in monthly income and the probability of employment and decreases in lifetime arrests, felony arrests, violent crimes and tobacco use.”

Heckman, Pinto and Savelyev, AER (2013)

Video

DtM programs

Downtown FalconsFootballBasketballCheerleading Gymnastics

Downtown AcademyK-5 Christ-centered school serving children of inner-city Athens

Downtown LifeTrail LifeJobs for Life

Downtown Academy

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The mission of DtA is to provide children of inner-city Athens an excellent and rigorous Christ-centered education that builds knowledge, character, and purpose.

Communities we serve

Some poverty data

Category Athens Georgia US

50% poverty rate 16.79 6.13 5.60

Poverty rate 28.27 12.99 12.38

150% poverty rate 39.29 21.60 20.93

% of families headed by single females 25.78 19.87 17.30

Cenus tract 9

It’s not just the labor market

The lifetime probabilitythat a black male high-school dropoutwill go to prisonIs 68 percent.

“The family” is changing

The trouble with boys“Most striking though are our findings regarding gender differences in the non-cognitive returns to parental inputs. Across all family structures, we observe that boys’ likelihood to act out is sharply reduced when faced with larger and better parentalinputs.”

“One noteworthy finding is the widening of the gender gap over time in disadvantagedfamilies.”

Bertrand and Pan, AEJA (2013)

One of our boys

Donterrius

God chooses the poor

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?James 2:5

First-year snapshot

• Current enrollment = 17• Kindergarten/first grade: 9/8• Male/female: 16/1• 13/17 have one adult in household• 16/17 have household income < $20,000• Average number of children < 18: 3.3

Early returns

What (hopefully) comes next

• AY15 – AY18–Grades 2-5–Pre-K 4-3

• Afterschool program• DtL expansion• Permanent facility

What it costs

• DtM budgets– FY13: $417,000– FY14: $550,000

• Funding sources– Tuition payments (< 10% of $6500)– Corporate donors– Individual donors– Church partners

The value of godliness

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

1 Tim 4:7-8