Does free pre-kindergarten increase birth rates? Preliminary evidence from Vermont

Masanori Kuroki

Research in Economics, 2025, vol. 79, issue 1

Abstract: This study investigates the impact of Vermont's Act 166 of 2014, which established universal pre-kindergarten, on birth rates among women aged 20–44. Contrary to the expectation of increased fertility, no meaningful increase in total, first, or subsequent birth rates was observed after program implementation. This aligns with existing research suggesting limited effectiveness of pronatalist policies. However, subsequent birth rates in Vermont declined at a slower rate than first birth rates compared to a synthetic control group, hinting at a potential positive influence on existing parents' decisions to have additional children.

Keywords: Family planning; Fertility; Child care; Preschool (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:reecon:v:79:y:2025:i:1:s1090944325000171

DOI: 10.1016/j.rie.2025.101040

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