Early Childhood Education

Sneha Elango (), Jorge Luis Garcia (), James Heckman and Andrés Hojman ()
Additional contact information
Sneha Elango: University of Chicago
Andrés Hojman: Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

No 9476, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper organizes and synthesizes the literature on early childhood education and childcare. In it, we go beyond meta-analysis and reanalyze primary data sources in a common framework. We consider the evidence from means-tested demonstration programs, large-scale means-tested programs and universal programs without means testing. We discuss which programs are effective and whether, and for which populations, these programs should be subsidized by governments. The evidence from high-quality demonstration programs targeted toward disadvantaged children shows beneficial effects. Returns exceed costs, even accounting for the deadweight loss of collecting taxes. When proper policy counterfactuals are constructed, Head Start has beneficial effects on disadvantaged children compared to home alternatives. Universal programs benefit disadvantaged children.

Keywords: evaluation of social programs; childcare; early childhood education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 I28 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 84 pages
Date: 2015-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab, nep-ltv and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (44)

Published - published in: Robert A. Moffitt (ed.), Economics of Means-Tested Transfer Programs in the United States, Volume II, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016, 235-298.

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Related works:
Chapter: Early Childhood Education (2015)
Working Paper: Early Childhood Education (2015)
Working Paper: Early Childhood Education (2015)
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