Timothy Bartik shows that investment in high-quality early childhood education has several long-term benefits, including higher adult earnings for program participants.
If you're looking for a quick overview of the economics of early education, this is the place to go for it. Bartik is an unabashed advocate for early childhood, but his commitment to methodology is commendable and he comes to his opinions through deliberate social scientific inquiry. A must-read for anyone doing early education policy.