An examination of participation decisions of one district in a vibrant open enrollment environment
File(s)
Date
2017-01-03Author
Galston, Anthony James
Advisor(s)
Welsch, David
Winden, Matthew
Xue, Yuhan (Cathy)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Many papers have examined open enrollment and interdistrict transfer programs, but most study
these programs at the district level. Using a unique student level data set with transfer decisions
and survey responses, this paper examines the school characteristics that parents are most
attracted to when making a transfer decision. In addition, this paper uses ArcGIS software to
examine if travel time plays a role in the decision to open enroll. Using a variety of linear
probability and multinomial logit models, this paper concludes that parents participating in open
enrollment programs are attracted to schools of higher academic quality, in particular those
schools with higher reading and mathematics scores. There is no evidence to suggest parents are
choosing to participate in open enrollment due to out of district schools being closer in proximity
to their residence, but there is evidence to suggest that once the decision is made, parents are
more likely to be attracted to an out of district schools that is closer in proximity. The results
presented in this paper suggest that parents may be willing to travel further to provide their
child(ren) with what they perceive to be a better education.
Subject
School choice
Students, Transfer of--Wisconsin
Public schools--Wisconsin
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/75629Description
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