Parental Choice of School: What Parents Think and Do

Political leaders at both national and state levels, from both parties and varying ideological perspectives, have advocated parental choice plans as ways to promote competition and increase accountability in public education. After highlighting the positions of Presidents Reagan and Bush and briefly summarizing the history of parent choice plans in American education, this review examines research on parental perspectives and actions with respect to choice of school. A section on research issues highlights the connections between parental choice and the issues of excellence and equity. Following a brief discussion of research methods, two major sections are devoted to (a) criteria, frequency, and the issue of excellence and (b) family backgrounds and the issue of equity. A concluding section highlights the strengths and limitations of parental choice as a means of promoting both excellence and equity and suggests possible topics for further research.