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The Long-Run Impacts of Early Childhood Education: Evidence From a Failed Policy Experiment

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  • Philip DeCicca
  • Justin D. Smith

Abstract

We investigate short and long-term effects of early childhood education using variation created by a unique policy experiment in British Columbia, Canada. Our findings imply starting Kindergarten one year late substantially reduces the probability of repeating the third grade, and meaningfully increases in tenth grade math and reading scores. Effects are highest for low income students and males. Estimates suggest that entering kindergarten early may have a detrimental effect on future outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip DeCicca & Justin D. Smith, 2011. "The Long-Run Impacts of Early Childhood Education: Evidence From a Failed Policy Experiment," NBER Working Papers 17085, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:17085
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    1. Berthelon, Matias & Kruger, Diana & Vienne, Veronica, 2016. "Longer School Schedules and Early Reading Skills: Effects from a Full-Day School Reform in Chile," IZA Discussion Papers 10282, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Figlio, D. & Karbownik, K. & Salvanes, K.G., 2016. "Education Research and Administrative Data," Handbook of the Economics of Education,, Elsevier.
    3. Olivier Thévenon & Angela Luci, 2012. "Reconciling Work, Family and Child Outcomes: What Implications for Family Support Policies?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 31(6), pages 855-882, December.
    4. Drange, Nina & Havnes, Tarjei & Sandsør, Astrid M.J., 2016. "Kindergarten for all: Long run effects of a universal intervention," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 164-181.
    5. Andreoli, Francesco & Havnes, Tarjei & Lefranc, Arnaud, 2014. "Equalization of Opportunity: Definitions, Implementable Conditions and Application to Early-Childhood Policy Evaluation," IZA Discussion Papers 8503, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Ando, Michihito & Mori, Hiroaki & Yamaguchi, Shintaro, 2022. "Universal early childhood education and adolescent risky behavior," SocArXiv rnkgs, Center for Open Science.
    7. Janssens, Wendy & Rosemberg, Cristina, 2014. "The impact of a Caribbean home-visiting child development program on cognitive skills," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 22-37.
    8. Lauber, Verena & Thomas, Lampert, 2014. "The Effect of Early Universal Daycare on Child Weight Problems," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100399, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Frauke H. Peter & Pia S. Schober & Katharina C. Spiess, 2016. "Early Birds in Day Care: The Social Gradient in Starting Day Care and Children’s Non-cognitive Skills," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 62(4), pages 725-751.
    10. Maximilian Bach & Josefine Koebe & Frauke H. Peter, 2019. "Long Run Effects of Universal Childcare on Personality Traits," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1815, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    11. Elizabeth Dhuey & Justin Smith, 2014. "How important are school principals in the production of student achievement?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 47(2), pages 634-663, May.
    12. Michihito Ando & Hiroaki Mori & Shintaro Yamaguchi, 2022. "Universal Early Childhood Education and Adolescent Risky Behavior," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 2218, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    13. Nina Drange & Tarjei Havnes, 2015. "Child care before age two and the development of language and numeracy. Evidence from a lottery," Discussion Papers 808, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    14. Ando, Michihito & Mori, Hiroaki & Yamaguchi, Shintaro, 2022. "Universal Early Childhood Education and Adolescent Risky Behavior," IZA Discussion Papers 15531, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Nikhil Jha, 2015. "Late Start with Extra Schooling: The Effect of Increase in School Entry Age and Preschool Provision," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 91(S1), pages 54-77, June.
    16. Pierre Lefebvre & Claude Felteau, 2023. "Can universal preschool education intensities counterbalance parental socioeconomic gradients? Repeated international evidence from Fourth graders skills achievement," Working Papers 23-01, Research Group on Human Capital, University of Quebec in Montreal's School of Management.
    17. Nikhil Jha, 2014. "Late Start with Extra Schooling: The Effect of School Entry-Age Increase and the Introduction of Preparatory Year," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2014n10, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    18. Figlio, David & Holden, Kristian L. & Ozek, Umut, 2018. "Do students benefit from longer school days? Regression discontinuity evidence from Florida's additional hour of literacy instruction," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 171-183.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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