Search Results
Working Paper
Does Access to Free Pre-Kindergarten Increase Maternal Labor Supply?
In this paper, we evaluate the effects of free pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs on the labor force participation (LFP) of mothers. We use variation in pre-K rules across all US states, including income eligibility requirements in some states. To estimate the causal effects of access to pre-K on labor supply, we exploit the panel aspect of the monthly Current Population Survey between 2002 and 2019. Specifically, we look at the change in labor market behavior of women when their child becomes age-eligible for pre-K, controlling for individual factors. We find that access to free pre-K ...
Journal Article
District Digest: Early Childhood Education in the Fifth District: The Challenges and the Opportunities
Quality, affordable early care and education (ECE) serves a dual purpose. First, quality child care enables parents, particularly mothers, to work outside the home — an option that may be important both to families and, in a tight labor market, to the economy as a whole. Second, research shows that early education and a high-quality environment contribute to a child's success in kindergarten, which is a predictor of future achievement in school and ultimately in the workforce. Still, most parents in the U.S. struggle to find quality ECE at an affordable price — a challenge that spans the ...