The Choice-in-Context Model: An Interdisciplinary Theory of Decision-Making in School Choice Contexts

School choice policies purportedly empower families to select schools for their children and incentivize educational quality. However, these policies yield mixed effects on student achievement and school improvement, which we posit is at least partly due to inequities in factors shaping families’ decision-making processes. We propose an interdisciplinary theory examining the interplay between parental decision-making, choice system features, and enrollment outcomes. Drawing on theory and evidence from economics, psychology, and sociology, we explore how information, constraints, preferences, and social, economic, and cultural capital influence families’ choice system navigation. We also emphasize the importance of parental perspectives regarding schooling, including how families’ values and cultural practices shape their preferences. Lastly, we consider how centralized and decentralized system characteristics—like timing and complexity—shape participation and amplify inequities. Our model provides directions for future research and practical guidance for designing choice systems that reduce barriers and better support all families.