Category Archives: Economic development

How business incentives affect economic development, and why effects can be so large

Posted on December 27, 2010 by timbartik

My book Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development does not just analyze the economic development effects of early childhood programs.  To fully understand the economic development benefits of early childhood programs, we need to contrast their … Continue reading →

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Supply-side early childhood economics

Posted on December 23, 2010 by timbartik

Early childhood programs can be described as “supply side” programs because they improve local economic development by improving the quantity and quality of local labor supply.  Many non-economists are unaware that both conservative and liberal economists are in some sense … Continue reading →

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The importance of “stayers”

Posted on December 21, 2010 by timbartik

High-quality early childhood programs will increase the adult skills of former child participants. But this only pays off for local economic development if a significant number of former child participants live in the local economy of their childhood when they … Continue reading →

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Sports Stadiums vs. Other Business Incentives vs. Early Childhood Programs

Posted on December 20, 2010 by timbartik

Irene Sege, Communications Director for Strategies for Children, recently wrote a blog post at their blog Eye on Early Education on the economic development benefits of sports stadiums vs. early childhood programs. Sports stadiums are probably one of the least … Continue reading →

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How early childhood programs affect economic development, and why spending isn’t more important

Posted on December 20, 2010 by timbartik

Early childhood programs primarily affect local economic development by helping their child participants develop into adults with better skills.  Of secondary importance are the benefits of these programs for parents, for example in providing free child care.  Of much less … Continue reading →

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The politics and economics of state versus federal action on early childhood programs

Posted on December 17, 2010 by timbartik

Many are accustomed to seeing federal action as the key to large-scale social reforms. However, in the case of early childhood programs, successful social reform may be more likely to occur due to state and local activism. Such activism can … Continue reading →

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Why local economic development is important

Posted on December 16, 2010 by timbartik

So, early childhood programs might have “local economic development benefits”, which means higher local earnings per capita. Why are local economic development benefits important? First, local economic development benefits are important for political reasons. For cities and states, advancing their … Continue reading →

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Why early childhood programs are economic development

Posted on December 15, 2010 by timbartik

On the face of it, labeling early childhood programs as “economic development” seems crazy. We see “economic development” in newspaper headlines about a manufacturing plant or corporate headquarters or major research facility that received large tax credits from a state … Continue reading →

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