For the prekindergarten program alone, they identified $ 92,220 in present
value benefits and $ 8,512 in present
value costs in 2007 dollars — a benefit - cost ratio of 10.83 to 1.22 The benefits derived mainly from reduced public
education expenditures due to lower grade retention and use of special
education, reduced costs to the criminal justice system and victims of crime due to lower crime rates, reduced
expenditures on child welfare due to less child abuse and neglect, higher projected earnings of center participants, and increased income tax revenue due to projected higher lifetime earnings of center participants.