New Study Finds State Funded Universal Kindergarten Provides Some Benefits for White Students but no Positive Impact for African American Students
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--Large state investments in universal early-childhood education programs do not necessarily yield clear benefits for more disadvantaged students--
What Happened When Kindergarten Went Universal?
A new study by Dartmouth economist Elizabeth Cascio finds that state funding of universal kindergarten has some long-term benefit for white students but does not necessarily yield clear benefits for African American students. The results of Cascio’s research appear in the forthcoming issue of Education Next.
Cascio found that white children who participated in state-funded universal pre-kindergarten were less likely to be high school dropouts and likely to be incarcerated or otherwise institutionalized as adults. College attendance also increased among whites, but by a smaller amount than the dropout rate. Cascio found no positive effects for African Americans in any of these areas, despite comparable increases in their enrollment in public kindergartens.
The study also showed no discernible impact for either group on many of the long-term outcomes desired by policymakers, including minimizing grade retention and dependence on public assistance and positively impacting later employment and earnings.
--Large state investments in universal early-childhood education programs do not necessarily yield clear benefits for more disadvantaged students--
What Happened When Kindergarten Went Universal?
A new study by Dartmouth economist Elizabeth Cascio finds that state funding of universal kindergarten has some long-term benefit for white students but does not necessarily yield clear benefits for African American students. The results of Cascio’s research appear in the forthcoming issue of Education Next.
Cascio found that white children who participated in state-funded universal pre-kindergarten were less likely to be high school dropouts and likely to be incarcerated or otherwise institutionalized as adults. College attendance also increased among whites, but by a smaller amount than the dropout rate. Cascio found no positive effects for African Americans in any of these areas, despite comparable increases in their enrollment in public kindergartens.
The study also showed no discernible impact for either group on many of the long-term outcomes desired by policymakers, including minimizing grade retention and dependence on public assistance and positively impacting later employment and earnings.