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Public School Choice and Integration: Evidence from Durham, North Carolina

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Abstract

Using evidence from Durham, North Carolina, we examine the impact of school choice programs on racial and class-based segregation across schools. Theoretical considerations suggest that how choice programs affect segregation will depend not only on the family preferences emphasized inthe sociology literature but also on the linkages between student composition, school quality and student achievement emphasized in the economics literature. Reasonable assumptions about the distribution of preferences over race, class, and school characteristics suggest that the segregating choices of students from advantaged backgrounds are likely to outweigh any integrating choices by disadvantaged students. The results of our empirical analysis are consistent with these theoretical considerations. Using information on the actual schools students attend and on the schools in their assigned attendance zones, we find that schools in Durham are more segregated by race and class as a result of school choice programs than they would be if all students attended their geographically assigned schools. In addition, we find that the effects of choice on segregation by class are larger than the ffects on segregation by race.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Bifulco & Helen F. Ladd & Stephen Ross, 2008. "Public School Choice and Integration: Evidence from Durham, North Carolina," Center for Policy Research Working Papers 109, Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University.
    • Handle: RePEc:max:cprwps:109
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    Cited by:

    1. Oscar Montes Pineda & Luis Rubalcaba, 2014. "School choice, equity and efficiency: International evidence from PISA-2012," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 9, in: Adela García Aracil & Isabel Neira Gómez (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 9, edition 1, volume 9, chapter 31, pages 585-614, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.
    2. Gerdes, Christer, 2010. "Does Immigration Induce 'Native Flight' from Public Schools? Evidence from a Large Scale Voucher Program," IZA Discussion Papers 4788, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Cory Koedel & Julian R. Betts & Lorien A. Rice & Andrew C. Zau, 2009. "The Social Cost of Open Enrollment as a School Choice Policy," Working Papers 0906, Department of Economics, University of Missouri, revised 13 Apr 2010.
    4. Jung-Sook Kim & Yeo-Jung Hwang, 2014. "The Effects of School Choice on Parental School Participation and School Satisfaction in Korea," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 363-385, January.
    5. Holtmann, Anne Christine, 2016. "Excellence through equality of opportunity – Increasing the social inclusiveness of education systems benefits disadvantaged students without harming advantaged students," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 61-76.
    6. Robert Bifulco & Jason Fletcher & Stephen Ross, 2008. "The Effect of Classmate Characteristics on Individual Outcomes: Evidence from the Add Health," Working papers 2008-21, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics, revised Jan 2009.
    7. Claudia Schuchart & Kerstin Schneider & Horst Weishaupt & Andrea Riedel, 2011. "Welchen Einfluss hat die Wohnumgebung auf die Grundschulwahl von Eltern? Analysen zur Bedeutung von kontextuellen und familiären Merkmalen auf das Wahlverhalten," Schumpeter Discussion Papers sdp11009, Universitätsbibliothek Wuppertal, University Library.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • R28 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Government Policy

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