RESULTS: How much money the people made at midlife was predicted by math ability at age seven, and, for girls only, by early reading ability. The other factors may have helped them on the path to success, but even when those were controlled for, the association between basic math and reading skills and future socioeconomic status remained, and remained significant: one jump in reading level, for example, was associated with an increased midlife salary of about $7,750.

IMPLICATIONS: Regardless of how many advantages we start out with, how long we spend in school, or even how smart we are, learned skills have a measurable effect on adulthood success. That children are taught these skills is undoubtedly important, but these findings also point to a role played by children's innate ability to learn. As a next step, the authors plan to use twin studies to examine the genetic basis of academic ability. They hope to more accurately measure just how much of an impact, down the line, early education and interventions can actually have.

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