Research

Dr. Bartik’s research examines the economic development benefits of universal, high-quality preschool education, and other early childhood programs, compared to traditional business incentives of the same cost. Dr. Bartik’s work argues that the main goal of economic development policy is to improve labor market outcomes for a given area, and so “economic development benefits” are defined as increased earnings per capita.

These economic development benefits are analyzed both from a state perspective and from a national perspective. In brief, Dr. Bartik’s research concludes that

universal preschool education would have sizable economic development benefits, both for a state that adopts universal preschool education and for the nation as a whole.

Similar findings are found for other early childhood programs, such as high-quality nurse visitation programs for first-time moms, and high-quality full-time child care and education programs.

For example, each $1 invested in universal preschool education is estimated to increase the:

• present value of earnings in the state by almost $3
• present value of earnings in the nation by almost $4

In the long-term, a national program of universal, high-quality preschool education would boost the size of the national economy by almost 2 percent. This increase represents:

• over 3 million more jobs
• almost $1 trillion in increased annual gross domestic product

Funding

Dr. Bartik’s research was funded in part by the Committee for Economic Development (CED) through a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Advancing Quality Pre-K for All initiative, and in part by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Dr. Bartik’s findings should not be interpreted as representing official views of Pew, CED, or the Upjohn Institute.

Publications

• Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development.
  This book summarizes much of Dr. Bartik’s work on early childhood programs and local economic development, as well as extending this work to additional analysis of quality in early childhood programs, the timing and distribution of benefits, and how benefits vary in different types of local areas.
• Why Michigan (and Other States) Should Invest in Preschool
  Read Dr. Bartik’s presentation and handout given to the Detroit Area Grantsmakers group, Council of Michigan Foundations, on January 11, 2011.
• Estimated State and Local Fiscal Effects of the Nurse Family Partnership Program
  Upjohn Institute Working Paper No. 09-152, 2009
  Applies the model to fiscal analysis rather than labor market analysis.
• Distributional Effects of Early Childhood Programs and Business Incentives and Their Implications for Policy
  Upjohn Institute Working Paper No. 09-151, 2009
  Draft of Chapter 8 of the Investing in Kids book.
• How Policymakers Should Deal with the Delayed Benefits of Early Childhood Programs
  Upjohn Institute Working Paper No. 09-150, 2009
  Draft of Chapter 7 of the Investing in Kids book.
• Economic Development Benefits of Preschool Expansion in Kalamazoo County
  Upjohn Institute Working Paper No.09-147, July 2008.
  Applies the model to a specific county.
• The Economic Development Effects of Early Childhood Programs
  Report to Pew that summarizes much of Dr. Bartik’s early work on early childhood programs. Estimates updated in Investing in Kids book.
  First draft: November 15, 2007
  Revised draft: January 25, 2008
• Long-Term Economic Benefits of Investing in Early Childhood Programs: Proven Programs Boost Economic Development and Benefit the Nation’s Fiscal Health
  Issue brief prepared by Pew that summarizes work by Dr. Bartik, along with other work by William Dickens and Charles Baschnagel, on the economic and fiscal effects of early childhood programs.
• Taking Preschool Education Seriously as an Economic Development Program: Effects on Jobs and Earnings of State Residents Compared to Traditional Economic Development Programs.
  Full Report (latest revision: March 30, 2006)
  Original Version September 30, 2005 (revised March 13, 2006)
  (174 pages)
  Provides all details of the estimates and how they are derived.
• The Economic Development Benefits of Universal Preschool Education Compared to Traditional Economic Development Programs
  PowerPoint Presentation, Capitol Hill, May 16, 2006
  This Capitol Hill briefing was sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts and PNC Financial Services, and also included presentations by pollster John Zogby and economists Isabel Sawhill, William Dickens, and Jeffrey Tebbs of the Brookings Institution.
• The Economic Development Benefits of Universal Preschool Education Compared to Traditional Economic Development Programs.
  Shorter Summary, Report May 5, 2006
  Summarizes the main estimates and methodologies used
  • Executive Summary (4 single-spaced pages) A quick overview of the findings

Other Publications

• American Business Leaders’ Views On Publicly-Funded Pre-Kindergarten and the Advantages to the Economy
  Zogby International, December 2005
• The Effects of Investing in Early Childhood Education on Economic Growth
  by William Dickens, Isabel Sawhill, and Jeffrey Tebbs, Policy Brief No. 153, Brookings Institution, 2006

Useful Links

The following organizations have sponsored or conducted considerable additional research related to the economic benefits of high-quality preschool:

• Pew Charitable Trusts
• Committee for Economic Development (CED)
• National Institute for Early Education Research NIEER