The educational and labor market returns to preschool attendance in Austria

Abstract

Preschool attendance is widely recognized as a key ingredient for later socioeconomic success, mothers' labor market participation, and leveling the playing field for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, the empirical evidence for these claims is still relatively scarce, particularly in Europe. Using data from the 2011 Austrian European Union Statistics of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), we contribute to this literature by studying the effects of having attended preschool for the adult Austrian population. We find strong and positive effects of preschool attendance on later educational attainment, the probability of working full time, hourly wages, and the probability that the mother is in the labor market. Full time workers at the bottom and the top of the distribution benefit less than those in the middle. Women in particular benefit more in terms of years of schooling and the probability of working full time. Other disadvantaged groups (second generation migrants; people with less educated parents) also often benefit more in terms of education and work.

Підготовка Вихователів Закладів Дошкільної Освіти В Австрії

“…Цінними є дослідження австрійських науковців з проблем дошкільної освіти (М. Претіс [9; 10], П. Фесслер, А. Шнеебаум [8] та ін.). В. Смідт досліджує організаційні аспекти підготовки вихователів ЗДО та проблеми якості дошкільної освіти [11].…”

“…Реалії сьогодення вимагають від науковців дослідження підготовки майбутніх фахівців для сфери дошкільної освіти, змісту теоретичної і практичної підготовки майбутніх вихователів до застосування новітніх технологій. Суспільство вимагає підготовки компетентного, ініціативного, творчого фахівця, носія загальнолюдських і національних цінностей, здатного впливати на формування гармонійної особистості [8]. Педагог повинен виконувати роль вихователя, ментора, фасилітатора тощо.…”

The Impact of Education on the Income of the Economically Active Population in the European Union

“…According to Austrian scholars Fessler P. and Schneabaum A., "visiting children in preschool educational institutions frees parents for productive work," and "second-generation migrants (as their authors call disadvantaged groups with less educated parents) gain more benefits in terms of education and work" [3], because it contributes to the development of the effect of socialization of preschoolers and leveling up the quality of preparing children for learning from different social sectors of society.…”

Preschoolers’ Attitudes, School Motivation, and Executive Functions in the Context of Various Types of Kindergarten

“…The importance of this study lies in several reasons. First, the preschool environment and education represent the first major non-familial influence that shapes the child’s personality humanly, socially, cognitively, and performance-wise (and in the future, vocationally) ( Bissoli, 2014 ; McCoy et al, 2017 ; Fessler and Schneebaum, 2019 ; Kajiume and Kobayashi, 2019 ). Second, preschool education has a non-negligible influence on future school achievement ( Cryan et al, 1992 ; Schluter et al, 2020 ).…”