Open enrollment is a form of school choice that gives families the opportunity to choose an educational setting or school within the public school system that is best for their children. In U.S. public school districts, students typically must attend the school that is in their neighborhood and often do not have a choice of attending a different…

This article reviews the literature evaluating the impact of school choice programs on racial integration. Evidence on the impacts of magnet schools, voluntary busing programs, open enrollment practices, charter schools, and voucher programs is reviewed. The literature is mixed on this question, finding that the impacts of choice on racial…

School choice programs continue to be controversial, spurring a number of researchers into evaluating them. When possible, researchers evaluate the effect of attending a school of choice using randomized designs to eliminate possible selection bias. Randomized designs are often thought of as the gold standard for research, but many circumstances…

In recent years, many policy makers, including officials in the Federal Government and the National Governors' Association, have advocated public school choice as the answer to the problems of public education. In 1987, Minnesota was the first state to pass legislation implementing a statewide, interdistrict, open enrollment plan for public…

This update provides an overview of school-choice models and issues as they were defined in 1992. It describes how intra- and inter-district programs work and the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of a choice plan. Tensions in the choice debate center around the issues of diversity versus commonality, competition versus efficiency, and…

A sweeping parental choice bill passed recently in Minnesota spearheaded parental choice plans recently passed or under consideration in more than a dozen states. Explores the background and pros and cons of parental choice. (MLF)

A comprehensive review of educational choice literature and selected programs compose part 1 of this report. "Educational choice" is a catchall term encompassing a variety of strategies to grant parents the freedom to select schools, educational programs, or sets of courses based on the specific interests and needs of their children.…

Addresses two sets of questions with regard to school choice. The first set focuses on the meaning of school choice, the proposed benefits of choice plans, whether such plans have been tried, and what the research concludes about school-choice arrangements. The second set presents the rationale for open enrollment and controlled choice and offers…

This paper reviews the theoretical basis for educational voucher proposals, the various types of vouchers proposed, and the experience that has been had with voucher systems so far. The paper looks first at the claims made by voucher supporters that vouchers will redistribute political and economic power and simplify the administration of…

School choice, as one avenue toward educational reform, must be placed in context, according to this brief policy analysis. Prepared mainly for policymakers in California and stressing implications for public education in California, the report briefly discusses five samples of school choice: (1) magnet schools; (2) charter schools; (3) open…

This paper synthesizes 5 years of research examining three Minnesota school choice options for students with disabilities: (1) open enrollment; (2) High School Graduation Incentives (a second chance option for at-risk students); and (3) Postsecondary Enrollment Options Program (which allows 11th and 12th graders to enroll in college courses for…

There are parents and students who are to be won or lost depending on which sector--public or private--answers their calls for programs to match their learning styles and desire for rigor, vitality, and variety. This report examines where choice has evolved from, what it offers parents and students, and how its disappearance could affect this…

The history of the school choice idea is briefly traced, and then some contemporary family choice models are examined in detail. "Tracking" was the major choice mechanism in public schools prior to recent efforts to expand the options. The alternative movement within individual schools began in the late 1960's, with many forms…

State policies regarding funding programs to serve at-risk students and dropouts through school-to-work activities in alternative learning environments were examined in a national survey. Data were collected through the following: surveys sent to finance directors in state departments of education and education committee chairs in both legislative…