Out of Pocket? Out of Reach: How Hidden Costs Affect Participation in a Means-Tested School Choice Program

Autor/inn/en	Egalite, Anna J.; Fusarelli, Lance; Barriga, M. Daniela; Antoszyk, Emily; Stallings, D. T.
Titel	Out of Pocket? Out of Reach: How Hidden Costs Affect Participation in a Means-Tested School Choice Program
Quelle	In: Journal of School Choice, 14 (2020) 2, S.159-189 (31 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1558-2159
DOI	10.1080/15582159.2020.1756720
Schlagwörter	School Choice; Costs; Low Income Groups; Scholarships; Barriers; Educational Vouchers; Private Schools; Academic Ability; Public Agencies; Program Administration; Decision Making; Educational Finance; Eligibility; Financial Support; Educational Policy; Educational Change; Kindergarten; Elementary Secondary Education; Program Descriptions; North Carolina + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Choice of school; Schulwahl; Cost; Kosten; Scholarship; Stipendium; Educational voucher; Bildungsgutschein; Private school; Privatschule; Öffentliche Einrichtung; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Bildungsfonds; Eignung; Finanzielle Förderung; Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Bildungsreform
Abstract	We examine how low-income parents who apply for North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship program navigate major obstacles to their full participation in this means-tested private school choice program. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study draws upon administrative data from the state agency that oversees the program, surveys of every applicant family across two consecutive school years (2015-16 and 2016-17), and focus group data from two regions of the state. We uncover four major themes related to applicant families' decisions to explicitly or implicitly decline the offer of a private school voucher: Program eligibility requirements, parents' difficulties acquiring program information to assist with the application process, students' inadequate academic preparation, and financial barriers to participation. Even though eligible families can qualify for financial assistance of up to $4,200 per year, hidden costs appear to play a particularly important role in voucher use. We discuss the policy implications of these findings and offer recommendations. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01