School Choice, Student Mobility, and School Quality: Evidence from post-Katrina New Orleans

Richard O. Welsh (), Matthew Duque () and Andrew McEachin ()
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Richard O. Welsh: Department of Lifelong Education, Administration and Policy University of Georgia Athens, GA
Matthew Duque: Baltimore County PublicSchools Towson, MD
Andrew McEachin: RAND Corporation Santa Monica, CA

Education Finance and Policy, 2016, vol. 11, issue 2, 150-176

Abstract: In recent decades, school choice policies predicated on student mobility have gained prominence as urban districts address chronically low-performing schools. However, scholars have highlighted equity concerns related to choice policies. The case of post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans provides an opportunity to examine student mobility patterns in a choice-based district. This paper analyzes student mobility between and within the various sectors and school types using a multinomial framework. We find rates of student mobility in post-Katrina New Orleans to be similar to other traditional urban school districts. Overall, our results indicate that high-achieving students switch to high-quality schools whereas low-achieving students transfer to low-quality schools. It is clear some students are taking advantage of the ability to choose a high-quality educational option, although many students are still not. Policy implications, especially for education policy makers implementing or considering school choice policies, and areas for future research are discussed.

Date: 2016
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