The economics of investing in universal preschool education in California / Lynn A. Karoly, James H. Bigelow.

Increased interest in California and other states in providing universal access to publicly funded preschool education is behind this study's aims to analyze the economic returns from investing in high-quality preschool education in California.

Cover; Preface; Figures; Tables; Summary; The Status of Preschool Education in the United States; The Benefits of Preschool Education; Benefit-Cost Analysis; Indirect Benefits; Conclusions; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Chapter One - Introduction; The Status of Preschool Education in the United States; A Universal Preschool Education Program in California; Chapter Two - The Benefits of Preschool Education; Methods for Program Evaluation; Effectiveness of Preschool Education for Disadvantaged Children; Effectiveness of Preschool Education for More-Advantaged Children

Potential Impacts of a Universal Preschool Program in California Chapter Three - A Benefit-Cost Analysis of Universal Preschool Education in California; Overview of A Benefit-Cost Analysis for Preschool Education; Valuing the benefits of a Universal Preschool Program in California; Costs of a Universal Preschool Program in California; Benefit-Cost analysis Results Under Alternative Assumptions; Chapter Four - Indirect Economic and Non economic Benefits of Universal Preschool Education; Labor Force Benefits; Macroeconomic benefits of Education Investments

Consequences for Economic and Social Equality Chapter Five - Conclusions; Preschool as Economic Development; Key Choices for States Funding Preschool Programs; Extending the Investment in Public Education; Appendix A - Methodology and Sources for Benefit-Cost Analysis; Appendix B - Benefit-Cost Estimates for a Targeted Preschool Program; References

English

"Prepared for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation."

"Rand Labor and Population."

"MG-349-PF"--P. [4] of cover.

Accompanied by: Executive summary. xxxi p. : ill. ; 23 cm.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 177-192).

1st ed.