Economic evaluation of early childhood education in a policy context
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to describe a cost‐benefit analysis of early childhood education programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis utilises the best evidence available for early education programmes, combined with data from Washington State and economic literature to determine the monetary implications of these programmes.
Findings
The results indicate that early childhood education can yield benefits that substantially outweigh the costs of the programmes. In addition, these benefits were found to apply in many different public sector areas.
Originality/value
The paper offers an analytic model to determine the long‐term benefits of early intervention programmes.
Keywords
Citation
Lee, S., Drake, E., Pennucci, A., Bjornstad, G. and Edovald, T. (2012), "Economic evaluation of early childhood education in a policy context", Journal of Children's Services, Vol. 7 No. 1, pp. 53-63. https://doi.org/10.1108/17466661211213670
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited