Abstract
Cognitive abilities have a great impact on individuals’ socioeconomic status. Among the factors that affect cognitive ability, early childhood development and preschool education are vital. However, evidence on the effect of preschool attendance on the urban-rural cognition gap from large-scale samples is almost nonexistent. Based on a nationally representative dataset from the China Education Panel Survey, this study fills this gap by presenting evidence of a significant cognition gap between urban and rural middle school students. We find a consistent positive relationship between preschool attendance and cognitive ability in grade 7 and grade 9 based on ordinary least squares and propensity score matching estimations. Results based on a Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition suggest that the differences between urban and rural students in preschool education account for 28% to 44% of the between-group cognition gap. We also simulate the effects of policy interventions meant to develop preschool education on the narrowing of the urban-rural cognition gap.
Highlights
Cognitive ability is a developmental result of schooling and significantly impacts socioeconomic outcomes and individual behaviors throughout the life cycle (Huang and Xie, 2013)
This study proposes several hypotheses to be verified: (1) there is a significant gap in cognition and significant inequality in preschool attendance between urban and rural students, (2) preschool education has long-term effects on the cognitive ability of middle school students, (3) the differences in preschool experiences between urban and rural students is an important explanator of the current cognition gap, and (4) policies that popularize preschool education in rural areas can narrow the urban-rural cognition gap to an extent
Using the baseline data from the China Education Panel Survey, this paper finds a significant gap in the cognitive ability and preschool education experiences of urban and rural students, especially in the region of western China
Summary
Cognitive ability is a developmental result of schooling and significantly impacts socioeconomic outcomes and individual behaviors throughout the life cycle (Huang and Xie, 2013). Cognitive ability can affect individuals’ educational access and academic performance (Glewwe et al 2017; Huang and Xie, 2013) and relate to intimate relationships and deviant behavior (Huang and Xie, 2013). Cognitive ability influences individuals' career choices, work experiences, and income (Heckman et al 2006). Cognitive ability is a critical factor that influences intergenerational mobility, explaining 20% of intergenerational income persistence (Blander et al 2007).
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