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Does Choice Increase Information? Evidence from Online School Search Behavior

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  • Michael F. Lovenheim
  • Patrick Walsh

Abstract

We examine whether changes in the local school choice environment affect the amount of information parents collect about local school quality, using data on over 100 million searches from greatschools.org. We link monthly data on search frequency in local “Search Units” to information on changes in open enrollment policies, tuition vouchers, charitable scholarship tax credits, tuition tax credits, local choice opportunities driven by No Child Left Behind sanctions and charter school penetration. Our results indicate that expansions in school choice rules and opportunities in a given area have large, positive effects on the frequency of searches done for schools in that area. These estimates suggest that the information parents have about local schools is endogenous to the choice environment they face, and that parental information depends not just on the availability of data, but also the incentive to seek and use it.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael F. Lovenheim & Patrick Walsh, 2017. "Does Choice Increase Information? Evidence from Online School Search Behavior," NBER Working Papers 23445, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:23445
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    Cited by:

    1. Artemov, Georgy, 2021. "Assignment mechanisms: Common preferences and information acquisition," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    2. Art Shala & Xhevat Sopi, 2022. "Communication channels consumption across awareness building, information search and school choice - perspectives from the VET sector in Kosovo," Review of Applied Socio-Economic Research, Pro Global Science Association, vol. 23(1), pages 109-118, June.
    3. Jason B. Cook, 2019. "Government Privatization and Political Participation: The Case of Charter Schools," Working Paper 6651, Department of Economics, University of Pittsburgh.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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