Inputs in the Production of Early Childhood Human Capital: Evidence from Head Start

Christopher Walters

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2015, vol. 7, issue 4, 76-102

Abstract: This paper uses data from a randomized evaluation of Head Start to answer two questions: (i) How much do short-run causal effects vary across Head Start centers? and (ii) Do observed inputs explain this variation? I find that the cross-center standard deviation of cognitive effects is 0.18 test score standard deviations, which is larger than typical estimates of variation in teacher or school effectiveness. Centers offering full-day service and home visiting are more effective, while centers that draw more children from center-based preschool have smaller effects. Other key inputs, including the High/Scope curriculum, teacher education, and class size are not correlated with Head Start effectiveness. (JEL H75, I21, I28, J13, J24)

JEL-codes: H75 I21 I28 J13 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.20140184
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (39)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.20140184 (application/pdf)
http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/app/0704/2014-0184_app.pdf (application/pdf)
http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/data/0704/2014-0184_data.zip (application/zip)
http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/ds/0704/2014-0184_ds.zip (application/zip)
Access to full text is restricted to AEA members and institutional subscribers.

Related works:
Working Paper: Inputs in the Production of Early Childhood Human Capital: Evidence from Head Start (2014)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:7:y:2015:i:4:p:76-102

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/subscriptions

Access Statistics for this article

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics is currently edited by Alexandre Mas

More articles in American Economic Journal: Applied Economics from American Economic Association Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Michael P. Albert ().