The Effects of Unified School Enrollment Systems on School Demographics and Outcomes: Evidence From New Orleans’ Transition to a Centralized School Lottery

Abstract

Unified enrollment (UE) systems were designed to improve efficiency, equity, and transparency in school choice processes, but research has focused on efficiency gains. This study examines whether moving from decentralized enrollment processes to UE mitigates or exacerbates racial segregation that often occurs in choice systems. Specifically, we examine a subset of charter schools in New Orleans that had enrolled disproportionately high numbers of White students prior to entering UE. We find that UE entry was associated with increased enrollment of non-White students in these schools without offsetting declines in White enrollment, facilitated by schools also increasing total enrollment after entering UE. We find no meaningful impacts of UE on school accountability measures, student or teacher mobility, or student discipline.