Parent Sensemaking and Information-Gathering in Kindergarten School Choice

This qualitative case study examines how parents of Pre-K students negotiate the complex kindergarten school choice context in a high-choice community school district in New York City. Applying sensemaking and critical sensemaking theories, we investigated the information sources and marketing channels available to parents and how they made sense of these. Our findings indicate that parents experience uneven access to information due to differences in language and socioeconomic status. We emphasize the importance of school systems prioritizing multi-directional communication to enhance the choice process and adapt their practices to accommodate the realities of families, thereby promoting access to accurate information.