Effects of Pre-K on Children's Development in the Short, Middle, and Long-Term

Background: Previous research has consistently shown the significant impact of pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs on children's cognitive skills upon entering kindergarten (Gormley et al., 2005; Weiland & Yoshikawa, 2013). While these initial gains tend to fade as children progress through elementary and middle school (Lipsey et al., 2018; Weiland et al., 2020), recent studies have highlighted the enduring benefits of pre-K attendance, including increased college enrollment rates in adulthood (Gormley et al., 2023; Gray-Lobe et al., 2023). However, despite this evidence, our understanding of how these benefits evolve throughout middle childhood and adolescence remains limited. This study aims to investigate whether pre-K programs contribute to the development of children's short-term cognitive and socioemotional skills and how these effects extend into middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Methods: Using panel data from the Future of Families and Child Well-being Study (FFCWS), collected at ages 3, 5, 9, 15, and 22, this study measures school achievements, school connectedness, and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems during middle childhood and adolescence. Additionally, it assesses high school graduation rates, disconnection from school or the labor force, physical and mental health, and substance abuse as young adult outcomes. Given that most state-funded pre-K programs target children in poverty or near poverty (Barnett et al., 2003), pre-K eligibility will be determined based on state of birth and family income level at the age three survey. A difference-in-difference approach will be employed to estimate the effects of pre-K on children's development, comparing outcomes between pre-K eligible (low-income) and non-eligible (high-income) children across states that offered pre-K and those that did not. The study also explores contextual factors that moderate pre-K effects during middle childhood and adolescence.

Implications: This study contributes to the literature by examining the short-, middle-, and long-term effects of pre-K on children's cognitive and socioemotional development. Furthermore, it sheds light on the local characteristics that facilitate the long-term impact of a single year of pre-K experience.