School Choice, Socioeconomic Status, and Stratified Enrollment in Urban Districts: Evidence From Detroit

Researchers and policymakers have often debated whether urban schools of choice enroll students who are relatively advantaged compared to their traditional public school peers. Existing research has not adequately answered this question due to a reliance on inadequate quantitative measures of socioeconomic status and an emphasis on differences between racial or class groups rather than within them. This mixed-methods study contributes new evidence based on novel survey data and interviews with parents and educational leaders in Detroit. Detroit charter schools enroll significantly fewer students living in deep poverty than neighborhood schools, and selective schools enroll a distinctly advantaged population. These stratified enrollment patterns result from differences in geographic constraints, the influence of social networks, school type reputations, and school practices.