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Allocating Students to Schools: Theory, Methods, and Empirical Insights

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  • Yeon-Koo Che
  • Julien Grenet
  • Yinghua He

Abstract

This chapter surveys the application of matching theory to school choice, motivated by the shift from neighborhood assignment systems to choice-based models. Since educational choice is not mediated by price, the design of allocation mechanisms is critical. The chapter first reviews theoretical contributions, exploring the fundamental trade-offs between efficiency, stability, and strategy-proofness, and covers design challenges such as tie-breaking, cardinal welfare, and affirmative action. It then transitions to the empirical landscape, focusing on the central challenge of inferring student preferences from application data, especially under strategic mechanisms. We review various estimation approaches and discuss key insights on parental preferences, market design trade-offs, and the effectiveness of school choice policies?

Suggested Citation

  • Yeon-Koo Che & Julien Grenet & Yinghua He, 2025. "Allocating Students to Schools: Theory, Methods, and Empirical Insights," Papers 2512.20353, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2512.20353
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    Cited by:

    1. Pamela Giustinelli & Edwin Leuven, 2026. "Getting In and Getting Through: Ex Ante Beliefs and Counterfactual Outcomes in Centralized College Admissions," Working Papers 2026-002, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.

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