The returns to early-life interventions for very low birth weight children

We use comprehensive administrative data from Rhode Island to measure the impact of early-life interventions for low birth weight newborns. Our analysis relies on a regression discontinuity design based 1,500 g threshold Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) status. find that crossing causes more intense in-hospital care, in line with prior studies. In terms later-life outcomes, we show 0.34 standard deviation increase test scores elementary and middle school, 17.1 percentage point probability college enrollment, $66,997 decrease social program expenditures by age 14.