Early Childcare Attendance and Cognitive Skills in Adolescence

Ingvild AlmŒs, Nina Drange, Costas Meghir and Henrik Daae Zachrisson
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Ingvild AlmŒs: IIES, Stockholm University and Norwegian School of Economics
Nina Drange: Statistics Norway
Costas Meghir: Yale University
Henrik Daae Zachrisson: University of Oslo

No 2518, Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers from Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of early childcare on academic achievement for children in grade 5 and grade 9, based on a 2003 policy expansion that created quasi-random variation in slot availability for children aged 1Ð2. Starting childcare one year earlier increases math scores by 9.7% of a standard deviation (SD) in grade 9. Children whose mothers do not hold a high school diploma benefit by a significant 28% of a SD at grade 9, reducing the math achievement gap from children of higher-educated mothers by about one third. We also present evidence of strong improvements for children of immigrants.

Pages: 44 pages
Date: 2026-04-01
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