All Choices Created Equal? The Role of Choice Sets in the Selection of Schools

TLDR

Reformers argue that parental choice can improve equity by allowing parents to select higher‑quality schools, assuming parents have access to a diverse set of schools. The study finds that parents’ choice sets differ by social class, limiting access to comparable schools and undermining the equity benefits of choice policies.

Abstract

Reformers suggest that parental choice will improve equity by making it possible for parents to select better schools for their children. A key assumption behind this claim is that parents choose from a set of schools that range in quality. Data from this longitudinal interview study suggest this assumption may be false. In one Midwestern city, parents of different social class backgrounds did not consider schools of similar quality. The set of schools considered by parents, called the choice set, differed; though parents' choice processes and reasoning were remarkably similar. These data suggest that in addition to the well-documented constraints of income, information, and transportation, the resources used to construct choice sets may further constrain the schools parents consider. These findings raise questions about the ability of current choice policies to deliver the equity outcomes reformers suggest.