Kindergartenbesuch und späterer Bildungserfolg. Eine bildungsökonomische Analyse anhand des Sozio-ökonomischen Panels

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact of attending kindergarten, the most common early childhood care and education program in West Germany, on children’s placement at secondary school level. The analysis is based on an education production function that controls for parental background and regional variation in the educational system. The analysis confirms the hypothesis, that kindergarten attendance can have a long-lasting positive effect on educational chances. In four of six specifications a longer attendance of early childhood care and education increases the probability of attending a higher level secondary school. However, there are diminishing returns to early childhood education.