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Front Matter
- W.E. Upjohn Institute
- Chapter
- Additional Information
“Tim Bartik has written a thoughtful book on the value of a local approach to financing and creating early interventions to foster child development. The economic case for supplementing the early environments of disadvantaged children is compelling. Annual rates of return of 7–10 percent per annum have been estimated—higher than the return on stocks over the period 1945–2008. Yet there are substantial barriers to the adoption of these programs, which Bartik documents. Bartik makes a valuable argument for engaging governments and private organizations at the local level to design and finance these programs. He presents evidence that there are substantial benefits from early childhood programs that accrue to localities. This book shows that a decentralized approach to early childhood development will encourage experimentation and will adapt the programs to local needs. In an era of stringent federal budgets, Bartik offers a plan for raising the support needed to put effective programs into place.” —James Heckman, Nobel Prize–winning economist, University of Chicago “Timothy Bartik takes us on an expertly narrated tour of that middle ground between what theory says ought to happen and what the real world actually presents. His disciplined fidelity to the evidence makes this, like every Bartik book, a guidepost for policy.” —John D. Donahue, Harvard Kennedy School; former Assistant Secretary of Labor “Building a strong workforce—one that will drive the economic growth and prosperity of the future—requires the strong foundation that quality preschool provides. Tim Bartik delivers an important message—one that both employers and policymakers should heed. Our Chamber continues to advocate that local and state economies are strengthened by investments in both quality pre-K programs and business incentives. It cannot be a matter of choosing one over the other.” —Dave Adkisson, President and CEO, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce “Tim Bartik’s book makes an excellent case that increasing our investment in a continuum of early childhood programs pays off when examined from a business and economic perspective. This work includes an important contribution by quantifying how specific improvements in program design of early childhood programs will increase economic benefits. It’s past the time to expand our early childhood program investments within the context of a commitment to quality and accountability. This would be a good book for business leaders and others who should focus on an economic rationale for public investment in early childhood learning.” —Harriet Dichter, former Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare§§§§§§ §§§§§§ “Bartik’s new book is a comprehensive and compelling argument for a one-two economic development punch: how state and local governments need to combine both tax incentives for businesses and investments in early childhood education. Once again, Bartik shows why he is the ‘go-to guy’ on the economics of local economic development.” —Michael Mandel, former Chief Economist at BusinessWeek “When oxygen is literally being sucked out of state and federal budgets, we can’t afford to assume that what we’re doing with taxpayer dollars works, in spite of the growing evidence that it doesn’t. State and local economic development officials need new strategies, ones backed by fact and evidence. Tim Bartik provides exactly this in his powerfully researched book that documents the link between economic development and investing in young children in ways never done before. Now business leaders and development officials have a sober, fact-based framework for increasing personal incomes, local and state workforce competitiveness, and national fiscal strength. This is a framework for getting our country back on its feet and keeping it there.” —Robert Dugger, founder and Managing Partner, Hanover Investment Group; Chairman of the Advisory Board, Partnership for America’s Economic Success “Whenever a new book, report, or article appears with Tim Bartik as the author, I take notice and make time for reading. I know that it will be lucidly written and ably argued. Tim has a knack for picking a real problem on which to work and a good feel for what’s the level of rigor that is needed. Many economists do not. Lastly, Tim understands that an economy grows on the basis of lots of forces and events. Not all of them are narrowly economic. Tim’s work on investments in early childhood development is an excellent example.” —William Schweke, Senior Fellow, Corporation for Enterprise Development “The case for treating early childhood development as economic development is long overdue. Timothy Bartik’s book is the first to take a comprehensive and in-depth look at this issue. Examining both economic...