Research from countries with broad school choice initiatives has become particularly relevant with the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the potential for all students in failing schools to gain access to new schooling options. A new paper by Cathy Wylie examines school choice policies in New Zealand.
First, the history of school choice in New Zealand is discussed. Wylie reveals that 91% of primary students and 84% of secondary students attend their first choice school. However, roughly 30% of students do not attend schools closest to their homes, suggesting some competition for students between schools.
Second, the impact of school choice on student achievement is examined. Wylie reports that low-income schools are less likely to produce qualified students and that competition does not appear to have induced these schools to improve. Third, the paper discusses why competition has not lead to superior student outcomes.
Wylie argues that most schools in New Zealand do not face structural competition, defined as five or more competing schools in close proximity, and most school leaders are not threatened by consistent competition.
Out of 157 schools whose principals were surveyed in 1999 and 2003 by the New Zealand Council of Educational Research, only 17% reported facing competition in both years. Wylie concludes that it is important to distinguish between offering choice and encouraging competition.
You can find the full report at the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education’s website.