Educational choice in Australia

Australia provides substantial opportunities to engage in educational choices. These exist primarily in household choice of school, and choice of study pathway in secondary school. These choices are generally not directly restricted, rationed or regulated by education authorities, schools or teachers. Rather, the system of exercising educational choice is largely driven by households and students. Education authorities and schools play an indirect role, however, in shaping the educational choices that are available to students. This happens primarily through funding mechanisms that lead to a stratified and segregated system of schooling that limits educational choices for households with fewer resources.