W. Steven Barnett

W. Steven Barnett is a Board of Governors Professor and Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. His work focuses on the economics of early care and education, long-term effects of preschool programs, and equitable distribution of educational opportunities.

Research interests span

• the economics of human development
• practical policies for public investment in education
• long-term benefits of early childhood programs
• comparative studies of educational approaches (e.g., dual-language immersion, curriculum models)
• state-level preschool policy analyses

He has authored over 160 publications, including 14 books and influential studies on programs like Perry Preschool and Abecedarian, as well as the annual State Preschool Yearbooks.