Trends in the Use of School Choice: 1993 to 2003
Report: Trends in the Use of School Choice: 1993 to 2003
Authors: Tice, P., Chapman, C., Princiotta, D., and Bielick, S.
Date: November 2006
National Center for Education Statistics
A new report from the National Center for Education Statistics reviews
trends in school choice over a decade. "Trends in the Use of School Choice:
1993 to 2003
from the National Household Surveys Program (NHES) to present trends that
focus on the use of and users of public schools (assigned and chosen),
private schools (church- and non church-related), and homeschoolers
between 1993 and 2003. The percentage of students enrolled in their
assigned public school decreased from 80 percent to 74 percent between
1993 and 2003, while this decrease was nearly offset by an
increase in chosen public school enrollment from 11 to 15 percent between
1993 and 2003. During this same time period, enrollment in
church-related private schools remained stable at 8 percent and enrollment
in non church-related private schools increased from 1.6 to 2.4 percent.
This report also presents data on parental perceptions of public school
choice availability and associations between the public and private school
types children were enrolled in and parental satisfaction with and
involvement in the schools. About one-half of all students have parents
who reported that public school choice was available in their community,
with one-quarter of students attending assigned public schools having
parents who considered enrolling them in a school other than the one they
were currently attending, while 17 percent of all students and 27 percent
of Black students attended a school other than their parent's first-choice
school. Generally, there were no parental involvement differences detected
between students enrolled in assigned and chosen public schools. Parents
of students in private schools reported more direct involvement in their
children's schools than parents of students enrolled in other types of
schools.
