The Importance of Non-Cognitive Skills in Public Policy

The belief in the 1960s that IQ was the principal factor determining success led to some serious misstatements and misunderstandings of public policy. The best example is this Head Start program that was actually started during the War on Poverty by Lyndon Johnson. By the time there were 10, maybe 12, there IQ and the group that had treatment compared to those that had only been in control and not had any treatment, there was no difference. That's how I got interested in this whole question about non-cognitive skills.