Exploring The Basis For Parental Choice in Public Education |
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| Authors: | Sung Roe Lee Michael R. Fitzgerald |
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| Affiliation: | Sung Roe Lee is a PhD candidate and research associate at the Department of Political Science, University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He specializes in public policy analysis, public administration, and comparative politics.;Michael R. Fitzgerald is professor of political science at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, specializing in public administration, public policy, and American politics. Dr. Fitzgerald currently is working on a state and local government textbook. |
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| Abstract: | From the perspective of public choice theory, this article explores the relationship between student performance and certain aspects of school organization and operation. Employing multiple regression and analysis of variance techniques, we found that variation in comprehensive student assessment test scores can be explained best by variables such as income, district size, and the extent of classroom crowding. Student performance was lowest in the largest districts. Student performance tended to be better in those school districts with relatively higher incomes, fewer schools, and a lower proportion of oversized classes. These findings confirm the utility of readily available information about public schools as a basis for parental choice and lend support to public choice criticism of large, centralized, educational organizations. |
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