Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP15146
Authors: Philipp Ager; Francesco Cinnirella
Abstract: Nineteenth-century social reformers promoted the establishment of kindergartens as a remedy for the problems associated with industrialization and immigration. We evaluate the impact that the roll-out of the first kindergartens in American cities had on mothers and their children. Consistent with the predictions of a quantity-quality trade-off model, immigrant families exposed to kindergartens significantly reduced fertility. Their offspring at age 10-15 were more likely to attend school, they worked less, and as adults, they had fewer children. We also unveil positive language spillover effects of kindergarten education on immigrant mothers illustrating the importance of kindergartens for social integration.
Keywords: kindergarten education; fertility transition; child labor; school attendance; quantity quality tradeoff
JEL Codes: N31; J13; I25; O15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| kindergarten openings (Y20) | fertility rates (J13) |
| kindergarten openings (Y20) | school attendance (I21) |
| kindergarten openings (Y20) | likelihood of reporting a gainful occupation (J24) |
| kindergarten openings (Y20) | English fluency (G53) |
| kindergarten openings (Y20) | family planning decisions (J13) |
| kindergarten openings (Y20) | educational investments (I26) |
| kindergarten openings (Y20) | broader fertility transition (J19) |