DC’s Preschool Program Increases Maternal Labor Force Participation

In D.C., the share of mothers in the labor force has increased by 12 percent since 2009, when the district began offering two years of full-day preschool for 3 to 4-year-olds, according to a new report released by the Center for American Progress.

Titled “The Effects of Universal Preschool in Washington, D.C.,” the report analyses the effects this program had on boosting maternal labor force participation.

Both low-income families and high-income families have shown increased labor force participation. But the highest level of participation was observed among unmarried mothers and mothers who didn’t have a high school degree, black mothers, and also in mothers living in poverty.

“Many have documented the benefits of early childhood education on school readiness and healthy child development, but this report shows that expanding access to these programs can also improve maternal labor force participation, narrow gender wealth disparities, and promote economic growth,” said Rasheed Malik, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for American Progress.

Using data from the 2000 decennial census and the 2005–2016 American community surveys, the report analyzed the maternal labor force participation rates of women with at least one child under the age of five.  

In 2000-2008, D.C.’s maternal labor force participation rate was around 65 percent, and after the Pre-K Act was passed, the rate shot up to 76.4 percent by 2016.

“This is the largest increase for any large city in the country over that period, and as a result the District of Columbia now has the highest maternal labor force participation rate among the 50 largest cities in the country,” the report said, adding that the rise in maternal labor force participation is “strongly linked to the district’s implementation of universal preschool.”