The decisions parents make regarding their children's education are not based solely on the academic quality of the school. Therefore, initiating a parental-choice educational program will not necessarily improve the overall level of education that American children are currently receiving. An area of concern is children who are economically…

A study was conducted within the Dade County (Florida) Public Schools to determine why large numbers of Black students were using the racial majority to minority transfer option, and, in particular, transferring from Van E. Blanton Elementary And Horace Mann Junior to Miami Shores Elementary and North Miami Junior schools. From a list of 471…

Rather than seeing the "self-selection" factor in private school enrollment as a flaw in Coleman's study, the author views this element of private choice and commitment to learning as the key to effective education and discipline. One of three theme articles: "Reflections on the 1981 Coleman study."(SJL)

Initial studies of school choice in Massachusetts have concentrated on the mechanics of the program, but this report examines why parents choose school choice. A survey of Massachusetts families participating in school choice was completed by 826 families (return rate of 41.8%), representing 987 choice students, or about 23.5% of the estimated…

Most Southern public schools are still unintegrated despite the 1954 Supreme Court decision. This study sought to determine the causal factors related to the decision of those Negro mothers who did enroll their children in white schools. Samples were 207 Negro mothers with children in grades one through five who were enrolled in a North Carolina…

Presents a listing of ERIC documents and journal articles on public school choice as an area of education reform. Includes reports, policy arguments, and surveys of state laws and initiatives and national trends. Provides information for obtaining the listed documents. (DK)

The history of the school choice idea is briefly traced, and then some contemporary family choice models are examined in detail. "Tracking" was the major choice mechanism in public schools prior to recent efforts to expand the options. The alternative movement within individual schools began in the late 1960's, with many forms…