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Expanding Schooling Opportunities for 4-Year-Olds

Author

Listed:
  • Leuven, Edwin

    (University of Oslo)

  • Lindahl, Mikael

    (University of Gothenburg)

  • Oosterbeek, Hessel

    (University of Amsterdam)

  • Webbink, Dinand

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Abstract

This study presents quasi-experimental estimates of the effect of expanding early schooling enrollment possibilities on early achievement. It exploits two features of the school system in Holland. The first is rolling admissions; children are allowed start school immediately after their 4th birthday instead of at the beginning of the school year. The second is that children having their birthday before, during and after the summer holiday are placed in the same class. These features generate sufficient exogenous variation in children’s maximum length of schooling to identify its effects on test scores. Making available one additional month of time in school increases language scores of disadvantaged pupils by 0.06 of a standard deviation and their math scores by 0.05 of a standard deviation. For non-disadvantaged pupils we find no effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Leuven, Edwin & Lindahl, Mikael & Oosterbeek, Hessel & Webbink, Dinand, 2006. "Expanding Schooling Opportunities for 4-Year-Olds," IZA Discussion Papers 2434, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2434
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    achievement; early test scores; early schooling; early childhood intervention; policy; identification;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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