ERIC Number: EJ1078282
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Nov
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-1245
EISSN: N/A
Similar Students, Different Choices: Who Uses a School Voucher in an Otherwise Similar Population of Students?
Fleming, David J.; Cowen, Joshua M.; Witte, John F.; Wolf, Patrick J.
Education and Urban Society, v47 n7 p785-812 Nov 2015
We examine what factors predict why some parents enroll their children in voucher schools while other parents with similar types of children and from similar neighborhoods do not. Furthermore, we investigate how aware parents are of their educational options, where they get their information, and what school characteristics they deem the most important. To answer these questions, we analyze the school choice patterns in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Using survey data, we compare responses from a representative sample of voucher parents and a matched sample of public school parents. While public school parents have higher incomes than voucher parents do, voucher parents have more years of education on average. We find that parents in both sectors rely heavily on their social networks to gain information about school options. Finally, we conclude that religion plays an important role in explaining why some parents use vouchers while others do not.
Descriptors: Educational Vouchers, School Choice, Parent Attitudes, Parent Surveys, Comparative Analysis, Public Schools, Family Income, Educational Attainment, Parents, Social Networks, Access to Information, Religion, Private Schools, Decision Making, Urban Areas, Scores, Academic Achievement, Student Characteristics, Parent Background, Family Characteristics
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Wisconsin
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A