School choice research bibliography

"If you’re looking for a proper bibliography of the empirical literature on the effects of educational choice programs, look no further," EdChoice writes. Here is the up-to-date, comprehensive list of empirical studies with links to the original sources.

Ed choice and test-score gains

"I find strikingly large test score gains for states that have adopted voucher programs and/or Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), swamping the effect of per pupil K-12 spending on test scores," John Garen writes in The American Journal of Economics and Sociology.

Child abuse and neglect among homeschoolers?

"Opponents of homeschooling associate it with unchecked and unreported abuse and neglect of children, often arguing for more regulation of or an outright ban of home education," Brian D. Ray and M. Danish Shakeel write in the Journal of School Choice.

Do homeschool students experience more maltreatment than those in schools and, if so, is it happening in or outside the home? Empirical evidence to answer this question is lacking, data collection during schooling age poses several constraints, and school-age children may under-report incidences due to fear. To address this gap in information and literature, we draw nationally representative data from 1,253 previously homeschooled and conventionally schooled (public and private schools) adults to anonymously report about their abuse and neglect experiences during school age. Cross-sectional findings suggest that school sector is a non-issue after considering the role played by demographics (e.g., family structure, years in foster care, large family size, and household poverty) in the maltreatment of children. The incidences of abuse and neglect for homeschool children are statistically significant only at community or some type of school, and the occurrence rates there are double or more than at family where the rate is not significant. Results suggest that policymakers should consider the larger role of demographics in framing policies to protect children from abuse and neglect.

The effect of private school choice regulations on school participation

"Private school choice programs’ success depends partly on the supply of private schools," a new paper reminds us.

Does homeschooling improve creative thinking and social competencies?

"The findings of the multiple regression analyses indicate that homeschoolers exhibit a higher level of creative thinking and higher social competencies than traditional learners."

Tackling the 'exodus' claim

"Critics of education choice claim that introducing and expanding choice programs will lead to a massive exodus of students," Martin Lueken and Michael Castro write. 

It won't.

Homeschooling skyrocketed during the pandemic, but what does the future hold?

"It may be less of an either-or option," Daniel Hamlin and Paul E. Peterson write, "as homeschooling is combined with online experiences, neighborhood pods, cooperatives, or joint undertakings with public and private schools."

Let parents (not the state) decide on pre-K

"Though it comes as no surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention to the evidence on pre-K programs, a blockbuster new study found that a state pre-K program long held up as a national model actually harms students both academically and behaviorally," Greg Forster writes. "It’s time to empower parents through school choice programs to make the right decision for their own children."

What homeschoolers are doing right

"A new study suggests their kids are healthier, happier, and more virtuous than public-school graduates."

Oklahoma school-choice programs save money

A new report from EdChoice (“The Fiscal Effects of Private K-12 Education Choice Programs in the United States”) finds that Oklahoma's tax-credit scholarship program saved about $12.5 million to $32.6 million since its inception through FY-2018, which is about $2,000 to $5,200 in savings per scholarship student. 

Oklahoma's private-school voucher program saved about $12.6 million to $22 million since its inception through FY-2018, which is about $4,700 to $8,300 in savings per scholarship student.

School choice: The best criminal justice reform

"We hear a lot about the 'school-to-prison pipeline,' political scientist Greg Forster writes. "School choice is literally the only policy with a proven track record of doing something about it. It’s time for criminal-justice reformers to put up or shut up."

The academic and social benefits of homeschooling

"Homeschooling works," Brian D. Ray and Carlos Valiente write. "The roughly 2 million children who currently learn at home join a millennia-old practice supported by many government officials, scholars, college officials, and employers."

The social realities of homeschooling

David Sikkink discusses them here.

Harvard law professor’s attack on homeschooling is a flawed failure

"We expected it to be rigorous and fact-based but were sadly disappointed."

Literature review shows positive academic outcomes for homeschoolers

Dr. Lindsey Burke of the Heritage Foundation has authored a literature review entitled "Bringing Achievement Home 2019: A Review of the Academic Outcomes of Homeschooling Students in the United States."

Although methodological limitations prevent scholars from drawing a causal connection between homeschooling and the largely positive outcomes identified in the literature, the research on the outcomes of those who homeschool, whether the result of homeschooling itself or other unobservable characteristics of families who homeschool such as greater parental involvement, shows positive academic outcomes for participants.

Read the whole thing here.

Setting a journalist straight on school choice

Journalists at the Enid News & Eagle are entitled to their own opinions, Corey DeAngelis writes, but not to their own facts.

The new 'causal' research on school spending is not causal

Jay Greene explains.

A next-generation school agenda for Oklahoma

With Gov. Kevin Stitt planning to unveil a bold education plan this year, Greg Forster says "Oklahoma has the opportunity to lead the nation into a new generation of education reform."

Policy research and recent experience suggest a reform agenda focused on three goals, none of which requires significant increases in the education system’s spending levels. Oklahoma should expand parent choice; putting parents in charge is the real accountability system, with a long track record of helping schools (public and private alike) perform their best. It should create ongoing revision of academic standards to focus on clearly defining and measuring educational excellence, instead of using standards as a stalking-horse for ambitious political projects to remake society. And Oklahoma should consider reforms to the governance structure of the public-school system that would make it more responsive to the public (instead of special interests) as well as more efficient.

What does the research show on school choice?

After reviewing the empirical literature on school choice, Dr. Greg Forster finds a strong consensus in the research in favor of positive effects. Indeed, he says, school choice policies are better supported by empirical evidence than any other kind of education reform.

Setting the record straight on choice

"A couple of college instructors from the University of Oklahoma and Cameron University recently published two pages of emotive bullet points, unsubstantiated bumper-sticker assertions, shoddy reasoning, and deceptive characterizations of the empirical research," Greg Forster writes.