Early childhood education contributes to improved school readiness but impacts on high school remain unclear. This study estimates the effects of Tulsa, Oklahoma's universal pre-K and Head Start programs through the junior year of high school (in 2018/2019; N = 2902; M[subscript age] = 16.52, SD = 0.39; 48% female; 28% white, 34% Black, 27%…

This study leverages naturally occurring lotteries for oversubscribed Boston Public Schools prekindergarten program sites between 2007 and 2011, for 3,182 children (M = 4.5 years old) to estimate the impacts of winning a first choice lottery and enrolling in Boston prekindergarten versus losing a first choice lottery and not enrolling on…

North Carolina's Smart Start and More at Four (MAF) early childhood programs were evaluated through the end of elementary school (age 11) by estimating the impact of state funding allocations to programs in each of 100 counties across 13 consecutive years on outcomes for all children in each county-year group (n = 1,004,571; 49% female; 61%…

The links between single mothers' employment patterns and change over time in the well-being of the mothers' adolescent children were investigated using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Adolescents were ages 14 to 16 at baseline, and they and their mothers were followed for 2 years. Relative to being continuously employed in a good job,…

This study investigated the contributions of 5 mechanisms to the effects of preschool participation in the Child-Parent Centers for 1,404 low-income children in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Based on a matched-group design, preschool participation was associated with significantly higher rates of educational attainment and lower rates of…

Investigated mediators of effects of preschool intervention on children's school achievement in sixth grade. Found that preschool participation was significantly associated with higher reading achievement, higher math achievement, and with lower incidence of grade retention. Cognitive readiness and parent involvement in school significantly…

Evaluated effects of Chicago Child-Parent Center and Expansion Program on 559 low-income, inner-city African American children. Found that program participation for two or three years after preschool and kindergarten was associated with higher reading achievement up to seventh grade and lower cumulative grade retention and special education…

Examined effects of time-limited welfare on children ages 5- to 17-years at a 4-year follow-up. Found that effects were moderated by families' risk of long-term welfare dependency. Found few effects for children of parents most likely to reach the welfare time limit. Found consistent negative effects for children of parents with the largest…