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ERIC Number: ED612701
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 48
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Understanding the Cost to Deliver High-Quality Publicly Funded Pre-Kindergarten Programs. Research Report. RR-A252-1
Karoly, Lynn A.; Cannon, Jill S.; Gomez, Celia J.; Whitaker, Anamarie A.
RAND Corporation
States and localities throughout the United States are expanding their investments in pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs. Although spending on publicly funded pre-K programs is well documented, relatively less is known about the true cost to deliver the programs, especially considering varying quality standards and accounting for the resources used at both the provider and system levels. This report attempts to help fill that knowledge gap. The researchers examine seven pre-K systems across six jurisdictions and use two analytical methods -- cost data collection and cost modeling -- to estimate the cost of a high-quality pre-K program. They also explore whether state-provided funding appears to be adequate to cover the costs of providing high-quality programs. Finally, the researchers outline the challenges in understanding full pre-K program costs and the implications for policymakers and future research. Having a better understanding of the expected costs may inform the initial planning for or expansion of a pre-K investment, guide the mechanism for reimbursing providers of the pre-K program, support estimates of the incremental cost of further quality investments, and even identify the quality enhancements that are the most cost-effective. [For the appendixes to this report, see ED612721. For the research brief, see ED612621.]
RAND Corporation. P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138. Tel: 877-584-8642; Tel: 310-451-7002; Fax: 412-802-4981; e-mail: order@rand.org; Web site: http://www.rand.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Authoring Institution: RAND Education and Labor; RAND Social and Economic Well-Being
Identifiers - Location: Michigan; Oregon; Tennessee; Massachusetts (Boston); Oklahoma; Washington
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A