Public School Choice, Integration, and Peer Environments: Evidence from Durham, NC Robert Bifulco University of Connecticut Helen F. Ladd Duke University Stephen Ross University of Connecticut

Theory Outgroup Avoidance Hypotheses Neutral Ethnocentricism Liberation Model

Choice in Durham Assigned schools 21 elementary schools; 6 middle schools Liberal transfer policy Magnet schools 6 elementary schools; 2 middle schools Year-round schools 3 elementary schools; 2 middle schools Charter schools 6 elementary schools; 6 middle schools

Grades 3-5Grades 6-8 All stdnts w/ Addr. DataAll stdnts w/ Addr. Data Total Number Assigned School59.8%61.5%57.9%58.8% Magnet School12.4%12.8%13.8%14.1% Year-Round Schl6.1%6.4%10.1%10.3% Transfer15.8%16.5%10.1%10.4% Charter School5.8%2.7%5.1%3.6% Alternative Schl0.1%0.0%3.0%2.8%

Empirical Analyses Decisions to Opt Out Schools Chosen by those who Opt Out Counterfactual Comparisons

Decision to Opt Out Probit Model Y igs = f (X igs,C z,D igz ) Predictors of Interest –% black and % college educated in assigned attendance zone –Distance to schools with higher % white and higher % college educated

Decision to Opt Out Results for white parents with college education are consistent with outgroup avoidance/neutral ethnocentrism. –10 point decrease in % college educated in assigned zone increases likelihood of opting out by 10.4 percentage points (Elementary) –10 point increase in % black in assigned zoned increases likelihood of opting out by 15.5% (Middle) –Students more likely to opt out the nearer they live to a school with 15% more white students than in their assigned school

Decision to Opt Out Some results consistent with neutral ethnocentrism –white parents without a college degree are more likely to opt out of schools with a higher % college educated parents, –black parents with college degree are less likely to opt out of schools with a higher % black students Overall support for neutral ethnocentrism is weak Black parents without college more likely to opt out: the higher the % black, the lower the % college educated, The closer they live to a school with higher % college educated parents

Differences in Peer Environment for Students Opting Out (Grade 6-8) BlacksWhites Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. % black * * % coll. ed. parents * * Avg. reading score * * Parents without CollegeParents College Degree Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. % black * % coll. ed. parents * * Avg. reading score * * Below Average AchieversAbove Average Achievers Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. % black * % coll. ed. parents * * Avg. reading score * *

Differences in Peer Environment for Students Opting Out (Grade 3-5l BlacksWhites Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. % black * * % coll. ed. parents * * Avg. reading score * Parents without CollegeParents College Degree Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. % black * % coll. ed. parents * Avg. reading score * * Below Average AchieversAbove Average Achievers Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. Assigned School Chosen SchoolDiff. % black * * % coll. ed. parents * * Avg. reading score *

Racially Integrative and Segregative Choices Grades 3-5 % Making Integrative Moves % Making Segregative Moves White students Black students All students Grades 6-8 % Making Integrative Moves % Making Segregative Moves White students Black students All students

Integrative and Segregative Choices, By Class Grades 3-5 % Making Integrative Moves % Making Segregative Moves Parents with college Parents without college All students Grades 6-8 % Making Integrative Moves % Making Segregative Moves Parents with college Parents without college All students

Racial/Ethnic Segregation, Actual Compared to Counterfactual Grades 3-5 IsolationExposure to Whites Actual Counter- factualActual Counter- factual Students Own Ethnicity Black * * White * * Hispanic * Grades 6-8 IsolationExposure to Whites Actual Counterfa ctualActual Counterfac tual Students Own Ethnicity Black * White * * Hispanic *

Exposure to College Educated Education of Student's Own ParentActual Counter- factual Elementary Less than College College Degree Middle School Less than College College Degree

Schools with largest change in student composition Elem. Sch #1 Elem. Sch #2 Middle Sch #1 Middle Sch #2 % White in Zone % White in School % Coll Ed. in Zone % Coll Ed. In Sch Avg. Ach. In Zone Avg. Ach In Sch % Incons. In Zone % Incons. In Sch % Superior in Zone % Superior in Sch

Conclusions School choice in Durham has had: small effects on racial segregation larger effects on segregation by class. Some neighborhood schools have significantly higher concentrations of disadvantaged students as the result of choice programs. In the absence of direct controls over the student composition of particular schools, school choice programs of the type used in Durham, are unlikely to decrease student segregation by race or class relative to neighborhood assignment policies.

Outstanding Questions Effect of choice programs on residential locations decisons Effect of choice programs on decision to opt for private schools.