Bartik’s research examines the economic development benefits of universal, high-quality preschool education, compared to traditional economic development subsidies to business of the same cost. These economic development benefits are analyzed both from a state perspective, and a national perspective. In brief, Bartik’s research concludes that universal preschool education would have sizable economic development benefits, both for a state that adopts universal preschool education, and for the nation as a whole.

For example, each $1 invested in universal preschool education is estimated to increase the present value of earnings in the state by almost $3, and the present value of earnings in the nation by almost $4. In the long-term, a national program of universal, high-quality preschool education would boost the size of the national economy by almost 2 percent, which represents over 3 million more jobs and almost $1 trillion in increased annual gross domestic product.

Bartik’s full report (174 pages/507 KB) which gives all details of the estimates and how they are derived, is Taking Preschool Education Seriously as an Economic Development Program: Effects on Jobs and Earnings of State Residents Compared to Traditional Economic Development Programs (original version September 30, 2005, revised March 13, 2006 and March 30, 2006).

A shorter summary report by Bartik (52 pages/148 KB), which summarizes the main estimates and methodologies used, is The Economic Development Benefits of Universal Preschool Education Compared to Traditional Economic Development Programs (May 5, 2006).

An executive summary of this shorter summary report provides a quick overview of the findings in four single-spaced pages.

Finally, a Powerpoint version of Bartik’s report was delivered in a short presentation on Capitol Hill on May 16, 2006. This briefing for Capitol Hill staff was sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts and PNC Financial Services, and also included presentations by pollster John Zogby, and economists Isabel Sawhill, William Dickens, and Jeffrey Tebbs of the Brookings Institution.

Mr. Zogby’s work in this area is available at http://www.ced.org/docs/poll_earlyed2006zogby.pdf, and the Brookings work in this area is available in a policy brief at http://www.brookings.edu/views/papers/200604dickenssawhill.pdf.

Both the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Committee for Economic Development have sponsored or conducted considerable additional research related to the economic benefits of high-quality preschool. A link to Pew’s work in this area is at http://www.pewtrusts.org/ideas/index.cfm?issue=26.

Links to CED’s work are available at http://www.ced.org/projects/educ.shtml and links to the CED-affiliated group Invest in Kids are available at http://www.ced.org/projects/kids.shtml.