Early Childhood Education

Sneha Elango, Jorge Luis Garcia (), James Heckman and Andrés Hojman

No 21766, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

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 beneficial and whether they are cost-effective for certain populations. 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.

JEL-codes: C93 I28 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab, nep-ltv and nep-ure
Note: CH ED
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (45)

Published as Early Childhood Education , Sneha Elango, Jorge Luis García, James J. Heckman, Andrés Hojman. in Economics of Means-Tested Transfer Programs in the United States, Volume 2 , Moffitt. 2016

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