Replication data for: Early Childhood Education by Television: Lessons from Sesame Street

Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s) Melissa S. Kearney; Phillip B. Levine

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Project Citation:

Kearney, Melissa S., and Levine, Phillip B. Replication data for: Early Childhood Education by Television: Lessons from Sesame Street. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2019. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2019-10-12. https://doi.org/10.3886/E113727V1

Project Description

Summary: We investigate whether preschool-age children exposed to Sesame Street when it aired in 1969 experienced improved educational and labor market outcomes. We exploit geographic variation in broadcast reception derived from technological factors, namely UHF versus VHF transmission. This variation is then related to Census data on grade-for-age status, educational attainment, and labor market outcomes. The results indicate that Sesame Street improved school performance, particularly for boys. The point estimates for long-term educational and labor market outcomes are generally imprecise.

Scope of Project

JEL Classification:
      I21 Analysis of Education
      I26 Returns to Education
      J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
      J24 Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
      L82 Entertainment; Media

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Published Versions

V1 [2019-10-12]

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Dublin Core

DDI 2.5

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