The School Effectiveness & Inequality Initiative (SEII) at MIT recently published a discussion paper assessing the long-term effects of the universal public preschool program in Boston. The study leveraged the randomized preschool lottery process to explore both the short- and long-term impacts of attending a public preschool on student outcomes, comparing those who attended with those who did not. While enrollment in Boston public preschool had no detectable impact on academic achievement in terms of test scores, preschool enrollment was associated with increased long-term educational attainment and more positive student behavior. Those who attended the public preschool program were more likely to graduate high school, take the SAT, enroll in college on time, and ever enroll in college than their peers. Preschool attendants also had better student behavior outcomes, as they were less likely to be suspended in high school or ever be incarcerated as a juvenile. #education #juvenilejustice
