Question:
What percentage of students are enrolled in school choice programs?

Response:
Between 1993 and 2003, the percentage of students in grades 1–12 attending a "chosen" public school (a public school other than their assigned public school) increased from 11 to 15 percent, while the percentage attending assigned public schools decreased from 80 to 74 percent. The percentages of students attending private schools also increased during this period (0.9 percentage points for private church-related schools and 0.8 percentage points for private not church-related schools); these increases, however, were smaller than the increase in the percentage of students attending chosen public schools. Public school choice programs allow students to enroll in another public school or district outside their attendance area without justification based on special needs. These programs can include within-district or out-of-district schools. Estimates presented are based on parents' responses and parents may or may not know whether such choice is available.

When asked whether they could send their child to a chosen public school, the parents of 51 percent of students reported having such a choice. Not all students’ parents, however, were equally likely to report that they had this choice. For instance, parents of students in grades 9–12 were more likely to report having choice over their child’s public school than parents of students in grades 1–5 (54 vs. 50 percent), as well as parents of students in the West compared with those in the Northeast and South (61 vs. 39 and 47 percent, respectively), were more likely to report having choice over their child’s public school.

Among students whose parents reported having public school choice, approximately 27 percent attended a chosen public school, while 65 percent attended their assigned school. In addition, students in grades 1–5 were more likely to attend a chosen public school than students in grades 9–12 (30 vs. 25 percent). Black students compared with White or Hispanic students (42 vs. 22 and 27 percent, respectively), as well as students in the South compared with students in the Midwest (30 vs. 22 percent), were more likely to attend chosen public schools.

Another way in which parents can choose schools is to move to a neighborhood so that their children can attend a particular school. In 2003, the parents of 24 percent of students reported that they moved to their current neighborhood so that their children could attend their current school.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2006). The Condition of Education 2006 (NCES 2006–071), Indicator 36.

NOTE: Includes homeschooled students enrolled in public or private schools for 9 or more hours per week. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2006). The Condition of Education 2006 (NCES 2006-071), Table 36-1a .

Other Resources:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2006, Trends in the Use of School Choice: 1993 to 2003
  
• 2004, The Nation's Report Card: America's Charter Schools
  
• 2003, Overview and Inventory of State Education Reforms: 1990 to 2000
  
• 2002, Schools and Staffing Survey, 1999-2000: Overview of the Data for Public, Private, Public Charter, and Bureau of Indian Affairs Elementary and Secondary Schools