"While studies have shown that disadvantaged children benefit from high-quality preschool programs, they would benefit even more if they had additional tutoring and mentoring during their elementary and high school years, according to research at the University of Chicago.

That's the conclusion of a 2006 study by James Heckman, a Nobel-Prize winning economist at the University of Chicago and an expert on early childhood education. This research, titled, Investing in our Young People, shows for the first time that systematic interventions throughout childhood and adolescence could sustain the early gains and build on them.

This is important evidence and support for investment in volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs.  T/MC Note: This link goes to a summary of the study.