The Effects of Homicides on Childcare Classroom Quality and Child Development

Community violence exposure (CVE) can disrupt children’s learning. This study examines how recent homicides near early childhood education providers (ECEPs) affect classroom quality and child outcomes in Colombia. We use data collected from low-income children (age: M = 45.35 months; 45% female) and their classrooms across two waves. Leveraging variation in homicide timing and location relative to assessment dates, we estimate that homicides close in time and distance to ECEPs reduce classroom pedagogical quality ( d = .53 SD ), with effects detectable up to 6 weeks. CVE also lowers child developmental performance in the short term ( d s = –.14 SD to –.35 SD ), particularly in classrooms with fewer baseline resources. Findings underscore young children’s vulnerability to CVE and the importance of educational environments.