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

Robert Bifulco, Helen Ladd and Stephen Ross
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Robert Bifulco: University of Connecticut

No 2007-41, Working papers from University of Connecticut, Department of Economics

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 in the 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 effects on segregation by race.

Keywords: School Choice; Segregation; Sorting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H31 I20 R28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 43 pages
Date: 2007-10, Revised 2008-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-hrm and nep-ure
Note: The authors wish to thank Clara Muschkin for comments on the paper and Justin Knight for his efforts as a research assistant. We would also like to acknowledge the assistance and support received from North Carolina Education Research Data Center, especially Gary Thompson's assistance with student address data, from Bill Bartholomay at Durham Public Schools at the City of Durham, and from Rob Cushman from City of Durham Technology Solutions.
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Public School Choice and Integration: Evidence from Durham, North Carolina (2008)
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