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You can't always get what you want: Capacity constraints in a choice-based school system

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  • Lincove, Jane Arnold
  • Valant, Jon
  • Cowen, Joshua M.

Abstract

Centralized school enrollment is designed to improve the allocation of seats in choice-based systems. We study the quality of K-12 public school placements relative to revealed family preferences using data from New Orleans, where a market-based school system allocates most seats through a centralized enrollment lottery. We propose a theory of family utility maximization under school choice systems with and without guaranteed placements. Using an instrumental variables strategy, we estimate the causal effect of losing a school placement lottery on the school quality a student receives. We find a significant gap between preferred and actual school quality for students who do not win a first-choice assignment, some of which is regained when multiple rounds of assignment are offered. From the supply side, this allows schools of choice to operate with weak demand by enrolling students who fail to win assignment to oversubscribed schools of greater quality and higher preference ranking.

Suggested Citation

  • Lincove, Jane Arnold & Valant, Jon & Cowen, Joshua M., 2018. "You can't always get what you want: Capacity constraints in a choice-based school system," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 94-109.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:67:y:2018:i:c:p:94-109
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2018.07.006
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    Cited by:

    1. Valant, Jon & Walker, Brigham, 2024. "Setting Priorities in School Choice Enrollment Systems: Who Benefits from Placement Algorithm Preferences?," IZA Discussion Papers 16776, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Sarah Cohodes & Sean P. Corcoran & Jennifer Jennings & Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, 2022. "When Do Informational Interventions Work? Experimental Evidence from New York City High School Choice," Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute Working Papers 057, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Urban education; School choice; School reform; Charter schools;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H8 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty

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