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Is full better than half? Examining the longitudinal effects of full-day kindergarten attendance

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Listed:
  • Jill S. Cannon
  • Alison Jacknowitz

    (American University, Washington, DC)

  • Gary Painter

    (University of Southern California, Los Angeles)

Abstract

Kindergarten policy varies widely both across and within states. Over the past decade, a number of states have instituted a full-day kindergarten requirement and others are considering it as a way to increase educational achievement. Many parents also support full-day kindergarten as a source of child care. This paper uses the Early Child Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 to evaluate the efficacy of this policy. In ordinary least squares, probit, county fixed effects, and instrumental variables models, we find that there are initial benefits for students and the mothers of students who attend full-day kindergarten, but that these differences largely evaporate by third grade. Contrary to claims by some advocates, attending full-day kindergarten is found to have no additional benefit for students in families with income below the poverty threshold. © 2006 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

Suggested Citation

  • Jill S. Cannon & Alison Jacknowitz & Gary Painter, 2006. "Is full better than half? Examining the longitudinal effects of full-day kindergarten attendance," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(2), pages 299-321.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:25:y:2006:i:2:p:299-321
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.20174
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James Heckman, 2011. "Policies to foster human capital," Voprosy obrazovaniya / Educational Studies Moscow, National Research University Higher School of Economics, issue 3, pages 73-137.
    2. Besley, Timothy & Case, Anne, 2000. "Unnatural Experiments? Estimating the Incidence of Endogenous Policies," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(467), pages 672-694, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Larissa Zierow, 2017. "Economic Perspectives on the Implications of Public Child Care and Schooling for Educational Outcomes in Childhood and Adult Life," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 76.
    2. DeCicca, Philip & Smith, Justin, 2013. "The long-run impacts of early childhood education: Evidence from a failed policy experiment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 41-59.
    3. Elias Ilin & Samantha Shampine & Ellyn Terry, 2022. "Does Access to Free Pre-Kindergarten Increase Maternal Labor Supply?," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2022-3, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
    4. Painter Gary & Flores Edward, 2013. "Reclassification and Academic Success among English Language Learners: New Evidence from a Large Urban School District," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 13(1), pages 107-136, April.
    5. Felfe, Christina & Zierow, Larissa, 2018. "From dawn till dusk: Implications of full-day care for children’s development," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 259-281.
    6. Ünver, Özgün & Bircan, Tuba & Nicaise, Ides, 2021. "A multilevel approach to ECEC policies and intensity of formal childcare participation of young children in Europe," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    7. Brewer, Mike & Cattan, Sarah & Crawford, Claire & Rabe, Birgitta, 2022. "Does more free childcare help parents work more?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    8. Elizabeth Dhuey & Jean Eid & Christine Neill, 2020. "Parental Employment Effects of Switching from Half-Day to Full-Day Kindergarten: Evidence from Ontario's French Schools," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 46(1), pages 145-174, March.
    9. repec:mpr:mprres:7804 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Hayes, Michael S. & Gershenson, Seth, 2016. "What differences a day can make: Quantile regression estimates of the distribution of daily learning gains," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 48-51.
    11. Elias Ilin & Samantha Shampine & Ellyn Terry, 2021. "Does Access to Free Pre-Kindergarten Increase Maternal Labor Supply?," Research Working Paper RWP 21-11, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    12. Chloe R. Gibbs & Jocelyn Wikle & Riley Wilson, 2024. "A Matter of Time? Measuring Effects of Public Schooling Expansions on Families’ Constraint," CESifo Working Paper Series 11200, CESifo.
    13. Berthelon, Matias & Kruger, Diana & Lauer, Catalina & Tiberti, Luca & Zamora, Carlos, 2020. "Longer School Schedules, Childcare and the Quality of Mothers’ Employment: Evidence from School Reform in Chile," GLO Discussion Paper Series 525, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    14. Barbara A. Wasik & Shira Kolnik Mattera & Chrishana M. Lloyd & Kimberly Boller, 2013. "Intervention Dosage in Early Childhood Care and Education: It's Complicated," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 65bc22bb6a384f7c9b93a8207, Mathematica Policy Research.
    15. Lau, Michelle Marie & Li, Hui, 2019. "Whole-day or half-day kindergarten? Chinese parents' perceptions, needs, and decisions in a privatised marketplace," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 1-1.
    16. David E. Frisvold & Julie C. Lumeng, 2011. "Expanding Exposure: Can Increasing the Daily Duration of Head Start Reduce Childhood Obesity?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 46(2), pages 373-402.
    17. Matias Berthelon & Diana Kruger & Melanie Oyarzún, 2023. "School schedules and mothers’ employment: evidence from an education reform," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 131-171, March.
    18. Taryn W. Morrissey, 2017. "Child care and parent labor force participation: a review of the research literature," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, March.
    19. Jane Friesen & Brian Krauth & Ricardo Meilman Cohn, 2022. "The effect of universal full-day Kindergarten on student achievement," Discussion Papers dp22-01, Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University.

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