Public School Choice in the District of Columbia: A Descriptive Analysis

Ω


Increasing parental choice has been a leading theme of recent education policy intended to enhance the academic achievement of low-performing students in the United States. Public school choice programs in D.C. are successful; disadvantaged students are able to attend higher-performing schools than their neighborhood public schools, even with prolonged commutes. Overall, the findings of this study, Public School Choice in the District of Columbia: A Descriptive Analysis, provide evidence that the relatively advantaged students are taking advantage of public school choice programs. However, choice exacerbates student quality disparities between low- and high-poverty schools, casting some doubt on the benefits of such programs.