Choice-Based Education Reform

The goal of the school choice movement is to allow parents to decide which of the increasing options—from traditional public and private schools and charter and magnet schools to vouchers and tax credits—will best meet their children's educational needs. RAND's analyses consider the role of choice-based school reform in shaping education policy.

  • Report

    Report

    Evaluation of the Regional Choice Initiative

    This evaluation describes the Regional Choice Initiative (RCI), a large-scale initiative in 17 school districts in Pennsylvania. The RCI sought to expand school choice and offer more-rigorous courses for students in grades 7 to 12.

    Jan 8, 2016

  • A young boy waits to get on the school bus

    Journal Article

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

    This paper analyzes student mobility in post-Katrina New Orleans between and within the various sectors and school types using a multinomial framework.

    Nov 24, 2015

  • Children raise their hands in a classroom

    Commentary

    How School Choice Could Disadvantage Low-Income Students

    The flexibility to allow Title I-A funds to follow students across schools has a certain appeal. But it could have negative consequences for some of the poorest students.

    Sep 1, 2015

  • two preschool children using colored pencils

    Commentary

    Narrowing the Income Achievement Gap

    The achievement gap between children from the highest- and lowest-income families has substantially grown since 1960. The income achievement gap is now about twice the size of the black-white achievement gap.

    Jun 12, 2014

  • News Release

    News Release

    Choice of University in England: It's Not Just About the Money

    Tuition fee levels are not the only factor that prospective students and their parents consider when choosing universities. They also compare employment prospects, living expenses, university location, and course quality.

    Jun 12, 2014

  • uncertain students

    Report

    Understanding the Impact of Differential University Fees in England

    Despite tuition of up to £9000 per year for higher education institutions in England, applications continue to rise. Aside from tuition fees, employment prospects, living expenses, university location, and course quality are important influences on prospective students' university choices.

    Jun 12, 2014

  • two elementary students with a teacher

    Blog

    What Do We Know About Charter Schools? Moving Beyond the Talking Points

    Since their inception in 1992, charter schools have been a lightning rod for controversy in the education policy world. Research highlights the importance of moving beyond test scores and broadening the scope of measures that evaluate success in order to fully assess the performance of charter schools.

    Apr 4, 2013

  • map of Qatar

    Journal Article

    Reforming the Qatari School System

    Qatar's education system now includes independent schools, internationally-accredited and well-respected private schools, and a tuition vouchers program that may spur further expansion of the private school system.

    Jan 1, 2013

  • Resilient Communities Audio Podcast

    Multimedia

    Remaking a School System in the Wake of Natural Disaster

    In this Resilient Communities podcast, Jennifer Steele discusses the differences in policies and practices between charter and traditional schools in New Orleans, where charter-based reform spread in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

    May 15, 2012

  • teacher and student at chalkboard

    Report

    Perceptions of Traditional and Charter Schools in New Orleans

    After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans replaced the city's existing school system with a decentralized choice-based system of both charter and district-run schools. An examination of principal, teacher, and parent surveys found many similarities between charter and traditional schools' performance but greater satisfaction among charter school parents with their children's schools, as well as more perceived choices.

    Oct 5, 2011

  • Research Brief

    Research Brief

    Perceptions of Charter and Traditional Schools in New Orleans

    RAND researchers found many similarities between charter and traditional schools in New Orleans but greater satisfaction among charter school parents with their children's schools, as well as more perceived choices.

    Oct 5, 2011

  • Report

    Report

    Cost Study of the Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program

    Minnesota's Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program provides scholarships to cover the cost of high-quality early childhood education programs. This report provides detailed cost and program data for 12 participating programs.

    Mar 15, 2011

  • Research Brief

    Research Brief

    The Cost of Providing Quality Early Care and Education in Saint Paul, Minnesota

    Shares results of a RAND analysis of programs participating in Minnesota's Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to cover the cost of high-quality early childhood education programs.

    Mar 15, 2011

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    The Central Office in a Decentralized System

    As the charter school movement has come to scale within the United States, it poses new questions about how to govern public education.

    Dec 1, 2010

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Are Educational Vouchers Only Redistributive?

    It is unclear if vouchers increase educational productivity or are purely redistributive, benefiting recipients by giving them access to more desirable peers at others' expense. To examine this, the authors study an educational voucher programme in Colombia which allocated vouchers by lottery.

    Aug 1, 2010

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Promoting Quality and Variety Through the Public Financing of Privately Operated Schools in Qatar

    Qatar began establishing publicly funded, privately operated "independent schools" in parallel with the existing Ministry of Education system in 2002.

    Jan 1, 2010

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Expanding What Counts When Evaluating Charter School Effectiveness

    The message of this chapter is that it is possible to expand the way we measure school outcomes to better reflect the goals of charter schools, thus providing more useful information for students, parents, school administrators, and policy makers, all of whom make decisions that influence the success of charter schools.

    Jan 1, 2010

  • teacher calling on students

    Research Brief

    Understanding the Role of Charter Schools in Improving Education

    Charter schools are increasing in numbers as alternatives to traditional public schools, and research shows some associated positive effects on student attainment. RAND recommends that the federal government support further investigation.

    Mar 27, 2009

  • Research Brief

    Research Brief

    Increasing Participation in No Child Left Behind School Choice

    Only a small percentage of eligible students elect to switch to better-performing schools under the No Child Left Behind Act. RAND recommends policy actions and investments to increase the percentage of families who exercise the school choice option.

    Mar 25, 2009

  • Research Brief

    Research Brief

    Are Charter Schools Making a Difference? A Study of Student Outcomes in Eight States

    Charter schools do not generally draw the top students from other public schools. Their test-score gains are similar to those of traditional public schools, but they have higher rates of students graduating high school and attending college.

    Mar 20, 2009

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