The effect of pre-primary education on primary school performance

Abstract

Although the theoretical case for universal pre-primary education is strong, the empirical foundation is weak. In this paper, we contribute to the empirical case by investigating the effect of a large expansion of universal pre-primary education on subsequent primary school performance in Argentina. We estimate that one year of preprimary school increases average third grade test scores by 8 percent of a mean or by 23 percent of the standard deviation of the distribution of test scores. We also find that preprimary school attendance positively affects student's self-control in the third grade as measured by behaviors such as attention, effort, class participation, and discipline. Executive summaryMost OECD and many middle income countries have turned to universal pre-primary education in order to give children a better start to life. While there is substantial empirical evidence that pre-primary school programs targeted to disadvantaged children have significant benefits, little is known about the benefits for the population as a whole. Indeed, there is some concern that separating pre-primary age children from their mothers while they are working may have detrimental effects on child development.In this paper, we attempt to shed some light on this debate by investigating the effect of a large expansion of universal pre-primary education on subsequent primary school performance in Argentina. We examine the returns to pre-primary education by taking advantage of a large infrastructure program aimed at increasing school attendance for children between the ages of 3 to 5. Between 1993 and 1999, Argentina constructed enough classrooms for approximately 175,000 additional children to attend preschool.Our results show that attending pre-primary school had a positive effect on subsequent third grade standardized Spanish and Mathematics test scores. We estimate that one year of pre-primary school increased average third grade test scores by 8 percent of a mean or by 23 percent of the standard deviation of the distribution of test scores. We also find that preprimary school attendance positively affected student's behavioral skills such as attention, effort, class participation, and discipline. This positive effect on behavioral skills provides evidence of possible pathways by which pre-primary might affect subsequent primary school test performance as preschool education facilitates the process of socialization and selfcontrol necessary to make the most of classroom learning. Moreover, behavioral skills are as important as cognitive skills to future success in life.

The impact of pre-school on adolescents’ outcomes: Evidence from a recent English cohort

“…Bernal and Keane (2010) provide a thoughtful discussion of the most problematic issues in the estimation of childcare effects on children's outcome and present the different approaches that have been taken by previous literature using American data, including family fixed-effects (see for example Blau, 1999) and instrumental variable estimation (see Bernal and Keane, 2011). Recently, Berlinski et al (2009) The first strand of literature is based on some ad hoc studies, where pre-school children were recruited and followed for a number of years. In the US, the NICHD Study of Early Child Care was initiated in 1991 and included 1,300 children followed up to their seventh year of school.…”

daycare-systematic-review-preprint

“…Four studies used difference-in-differences or fixed effect designs [14,[17][18][19] to estimate an ITT effect of daycare on maternal outcomes. Angeles and colleagues [14] used a fixed effects design and compared mothers with children on daycare waiting lists to those attending the same daycares in the same locality and found differences in maternal employment and hours worked per month, but no impacts on income or measures of mental health.…”

The role of preschool in reducing inequality

“…In Argentina, following an expansion in public preschool provision between 1993 and 1999, a study found that an additional year of preschool increases third grade language and mathematics test scores by 0.23 standard deviations, with larger effects for children living in poor areas [8]. The expansion also led to improved attention, effort, class participation, and discipline among children who had the opportunity to attend preschool.…”