Measuring School Choice Using Indicators

Abstract

School choice is becoming an increasingly common policy in school districts, although it remains controversial and its outcomes are not well understood. This article argues that we need better definitions and measures of the practices and policies that create school choice and that this can contribute to a clearer understanding of the nature of school choice and to more effective planning and evaluation. This article proposes system (district)-level indicators of school choice that operationalize the concept of "school choice. " The types of indicators presented here could produce valuable inter district comparative information on processes and outcomes of school choice.