The effect of pre-primary education on primary school performance

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Berlinski, Samuel; Galiani, Sebastian; Gertler, Paul
• 署名单位: University of London; University College London; Washington University (WUSTL); University of California System; University of California Berkeley
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2008.09.002
• 发表日期: 2009
• 页码: 219-234
• 关键词: Pre-primary education; Primary school performance; argentina

摘要

The theoretical case for universal pre-primary education is strong. However, the empirical foundation is less so. 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 pre-primary school increases average third grade test scores by 8% of a mean or by 23% of the standard deviation of the distribution of test scores. We also find that pre-primary school attendance positively affects student's self-control in the third grade as measured by behaviors such as attention, effort, class participation, and discipline. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.