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Easing The Constraints Of Motherhood: The Effects Of All‐Day Schools On Mothers' Labor Supply

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  • María Padilla‐Romo
  • Francisco Cabrera‐Hernández

Abstract

Low rates of female labor force participation (LFP) have been linked to the absence of childcare policies. This article examines the degree to which extending the school day by 3.5 hours in elementary schools, a large implicit childcare subsidy, affects LFP, the number of weekly hours worked, and the monthly earnings of females with elementary‐school‐age children. To do so, we exploit within‐individual variation in access to full‐time schools and a rotating panel of households that contains 12 years of individual‐level data on labor outcomes and sociodemographic characteristics. Results from long‐difference models show that extending the school day increases mothers' labor supply, increasing LFP by 5.5 percentage points and the number of weekly hours worked by 1.8. Moreover, these increases are accompanied by a raise in monthly earnings. (JEL I25, J13, J22)

Suggested Citation

  • María Padilla‐Romo & Francisco Cabrera‐Hernández, 2019. "Easing The Constraints Of Motherhood: The Effects Of All‐Day Schools On Mothers' Labor Supply," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 57(2), pages 890-909, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:57:y:2019:i:2:p:890-909
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.12740
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Francisco Cabrera-Herández & María Padilla-Romo, 2021. "Women as Caregivers: Full-time Schools and Grandmothers’ Labor Supply," Working Papers 2021-03, University of Tennessee, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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