Trostel’s early education research cited in Press Herald editorial
The Portland Press Herald editorial, “More needy children in Maine deserve quality early care,” cited a study by Philip Trostel, a University of Maine economist. Trostel’s study, “Path to a Better Future: The Fiscal Payoff of Investment in Early Childhood in Maine,” recommends full-time education for children from birth to age 5, estimating that it would boost the high school graduation rate for teenagers from low-income Maine families from 72.4 percent to 90.6 percent. Trostel’s study also notes that access to child care through programs like Early Head Start makes it easier for parents to get and keep jobs, thus lowering their dependence on public assistance, the editorial states.