Seminar ‘Public Spending on Childcare and PISA Test Scores: Using the Rise (and Fall) of Female Employment During WWII as a Natural Experiment’

Time:                  13:00-14:00 Hrs

Venue:                CPB-Office, Bezuidenhoutseweg 30, Den Haag, room 3, Braamzaal

Presentation:  Thomas van Huizen (UU)

Discussant:       Sonny Kuijpers

Language:          English

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Abstract:

This study examines the impact of public spending on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) on age 15 cognitive achievement using PISA 2012 data. In order to estimate the causal effect of ECEC spending on student test scores, we exploit changes in female employment rates during World War II as a historical natural experiment. The war had a direct effect on governments' involvement in childcare as the home front required more women to enter the labor market. The changes in female employment rates during the war appear to have generated persistent differences between countries in ECEC coverage and spending. Our IV results show that higher ECEC spending significantly improves student achievement in reading. However, mathematics scores are not significantly affected. Furthermore, the findings indicate that boys and students who are likely to have participated in ECEC (i.e. students with employed mothers and higher educated parents) gain most from higher ECEC spending levels.

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