Public kindergarten, maternal labor supply, and earnings in the longer run: Too little too late?

Abstract

| Labour. 2021;35:214–263. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/labr The gap between male and female labor force participation (LFP) in the United States is largely driven by the low participation rate of women who have children. For example, based on American Community Survey data, at age thirty the difference in LFP between women with and without children is about 80% of the 9% points gap between male and female.1 Figure 1 shows that this difference exists in other age ranges as well. Survey evidence attributes the low LFP of mothers to the high opportunity costs of working, and the need to find alternative arrangements for their children while they are at work.2 What portion of the DOI: 10.1111/labr.12195