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Universal Preschool and Maternal Labor Force Participation: Evidence from Florida and Vermont

Keidan, Hannah
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=oberlin1655151593312074

Abstract Details

2022, BA, Oberlin College, Economics.
The United States lags far behind other developed countries in terms of preschool provision and access. Because subsidized preschool effectively serves as childcare for enrolled students, preschool policies have ramifications in the labor market; namely, whether or not parents return to work after having children. This paper investigates the only two state-wide universal pre-k programs in the country, those of Florida and Vermont. I use a synthetic controls approach in order to address the impact these programs have had on maternal labor force participation rates in each state. I find that while Vermont’s pre-k policy may have produced a significant increase in maternal labor force participation, the results from Florida’s policy are insignificant. This outcome suggests that differences in how the policies have been implemented drive whether or not the policy has meaningful impacts on mothers’ decisions to rejoin the labor force. Vermont offers more full-day options than Florida, although both programs are only free for half-day provision; additionally, Florida offers programming for children ages 4 and up, while Vermont offers programming for children 3 and up. Finally, I suggest other routes to explore which may aid pre-k policies in making it more accessible for mothers to return to work: these include more targeted programs, more full-day options, and subsidized (rather than free) provisions.
Christopher Andrew James Cotter (Committee Chair)
Paul A. Brehm (Advisor)
41 p.
Early Childhood Education; Economic Theory; Economics; Education; Preschool Education
Universal preschool; Synthetic controls; Education policy; Free preschool; Maternal labor force participation; Labor force participation rate

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Keidan, H. (2022). Universal Preschool and Maternal Labor Force Participation: Evidence from Florida and Vermont [Undergraduate thesis, Oberlin College]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=oberlin1655151593312074

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Keidan, Hannah. Universal Preschool and Maternal Labor Force Participation: Evidence from Florida and Vermont . 2022. Oberlin College, Undergraduate thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=oberlin1655151593312074.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Keidan, Hannah. "Universal Preschool and Maternal Labor Force Participation: Evidence from Florida and Vermont ." Undergraduate thesis, Oberlin College, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=oberlin1655151593312074

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

oberlin1655151593312074
249
© 2022, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Oberlin College Honors Theses and OhioLINK.