Investing in the Future: The Impact of Early Education Spending on Future Graduation Rates

Publication Date

2026

College

Jack C. Massey College of Business

Department

Economics and Finance

Student Level

Undergraduate

Presentation Type

Talk/Oral

Summary

This study will investigate the predictive relationship between early childhood education funding and long-term academic outcomes using a panel dataset of 50 states over 10 years. By analyzing lagged variables of state education spending and median parental income from IPUMS, the research will quantify how per-pupil investments in Pre-K and Kindergarten correlate with high school graduation rates 12 years later. The model isolates the fiscal impact on human capital development to forecast graduation outcomes for the 2038 cohort based on current 2026 budgetary allocations. Ultimately, this analysis will provide a quantitative framework for evaluating the long-term return on investment of state-level educational expenditures.

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