Longer-Term Effects of a Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program

Carolyn Hill

This project will estimate the longer-term effects of a universal pre-kindergarten (pre-k) program. It will analyze a number of outcomes through the third grade (longer if data become available) for a group of children who attended pre-k in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, public schools (TPS), a large urban school district with a diverse student population. While policy interest in universal pre-k programs is increasing, relatively little is known about the longer-term effectiveness of these programs, and whether, how, and why effects may differ for subgroups of students. Using a number of nonexperimental statistical methods (ordinary least squares with controls, propensity score methods, difference-in-differences, and comparative interrupted time series), my proposed study will address this gap in knowledge. If feasible, the study will further explore the determinants of effectiveness across pre-k programs in an effort to get inside the “black box” of program effectiveness.

About Carolyn Hill

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