Monitoring Early Human

Development: the EDI Clyde Hertzman

What Influences

Early Human Development?

The experiences

children have in

the environments

where they grow

up, live and

learn.

Which Environments Matter?

Monitoring the state of

development at the level of

the population and how it

changes over time

Early

Development

Instrument

104 items

Early

Development

Instrument

Teacher at age 5 is respondent

Early

Development

Instrument

5 developmental domains, with 16 subdomains

What Does the EDI

Measure?

Early

Development

Instrument

Not a ‘test’

Early

Development

Instrument

Extensive Validity and Reliability data from several countries

Early

Development

Instrument

A guide/Spanish version available

EDI around the world

EDI is:

a population-based tool

EDI is:

a mobilisation tool

EDI is:

a monitoring tool

EDI is NOT:

an individual assessment

EDI is NOT:

perfect

What EDI maps reveal…

Large local area differences in the proportion of developmentally

vulnerable children

The high proportion of avoidable vulnerability

What EDI maps reveal…

What EDI maps reveal…

The degree to which socio-economic context explains and does not explain variations in early

development…

Why we need equitable access for all children

What EDI maps reveal…

Change over time

What EDI maps reveal…

• Promoting inter-regional learning

Value of an EDI Platform

EDI Results – Percentage Vulnerable on Each

Developmental Domain Pe

rcen

tage

Source: Brinkman, S. November 18, 2009 . Winnipeg, Manitoba.

• Building understandings of success at the

level of the community

Value of an EDI Platform

The EDI Community Planning Process

1. Teachers complete the EDI

3. Areas of particular needs are identified Neighbourhood Phy Soc Emot Lang Comm Vuln 1 Vuln 2

South Park 19 15.5 8.3 24.1 27.4 45.2 18.5

Westend 16.2 11.4 11.4 18.1 15.2 38.2 16.2

North Upper 12.5 8.3 12.5 16.7 12.5 35.4 16.3

Lakeview 8 5.7 8.9 8.9 8.4 23.7 11.3

East Upper 14.9 11.1 11.8 34.2 18.9 45.6 19.5

Downtown Core 9.2 16.2 14.5 50.7 16.2 47.2 21.3

4. Inform and Mobilize Community Action

Percentage of children vulnerable on 1 or

more EDI domains

2. Communities receive EDI reports

Toronto, ON

Lessons Learned

• strong inter-sectoral leadership

• focus on EDI outcomes

• multiple layers of programming and support focused on families

• vertical coordination

• alignment with school system

• Anchoring developmental trajectories for

modeling returns on investment

Value of an EDI Platform

Early Childhood Pre-Natal

Infancy

School

Leaving Middle Childhood

‘Success’ in

School Years EDI

School

competencies

Early

Development

Instrument

Children who are vulnerable in kindergarten are less likely to be job

ready

Our evidence shows:

Linkage of EDI to Success in Grade 4

Perc

ent

not

meeti

ng e

xpecta

tions

Number of EDI vulnerabilities

Reading

Numeracy

Zero One Two Three Four Five

90.0

80.0

70.0

60.0

50.0

40.0

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0

Observing Children from K-12

Reduced vulnerability

at kindergarten

=

Better competencies at

high school graduation

Source: Adapted from Kershaw et al. 2009, 15 by 15 : A Comprehensive Policy Framework for Early Human Capital Investment in BC, Table 1..

Vulnerability

(EDI)

University

Eligible Grades

29%

15%

10%

41.5%

50.3%

55.6%

34%

increase

Observe Transitions from EDI to Grade

4 to Grade 7 to High School Completion

School Achievement (1960s) Associates

with Economic Growth (1960-2000)

Condit

ional G

row

th

Conditional Test Score

-4

-2

-0

2

4

-1.5 -1 -.5 0 .5 1

+.63% of GDP per year

Source: Hanushek and Woessmann (2008): The Relationship between Economic Growth (1960-2000) and Test Scores (1960).

We are

here

Decreased Vulnerability = Increased Human Capital

First cohort of 5 year olds benefit from smart family policy

First cohort graduates

Reduced early vulnerability

increases GDP by 20%

29% vulnerability = throwing

away $401.5 billion now, plus

interest over 60 years.

The Benefit:

GDP growth of 1% for every 1%

reduction in EDI vulnerability

• Monitoring fulfillment of UN Convention on

the Rights of the Child, GC7: Rights in Early

Childhood

Value of an EDI Platform

Question:

Does the following

represent a rights

violation under the UN-

CRC?

Vulnerability should be <10%!

According to UN-CRC:GC 7

…………the answer is ‘yes’

EDI provides an essential outcome indicator for monitoring GC7

• Structure

Respect

• Process

Protect • Outcome

Fulfill

For further info:

visit the Global Knowledge Hub for ECD at :

http://www.earlylearning.ubc.ca/globalknowledgehub

or contact:

ziba.vaghri@ubc.ca