Blending Into My New School: The Integration of Voucher Students in Indiana Private Schools

• In Event: School Voucher Policy and Implementation: Lessons From Indiana and Tennessee

Abstract

Objectives

The Indiana Choice Scholarship Program (ICSP) has the largest number of students and schools participating of any voucher program nationwide. In this study, we investigate the degree to which voucher students are academically, socially, and religiously integrated into their new schools.

Theoretical Framework

Much of the research on the implementation and effectiveness of voucher programs has focused on student academic (e.g. Figlio, 2009; Wolf et al., 2011), non-academic (e.g. Peterson & Viarengo, 2011) and parent satisfaction (e.g. Peterson, 1998) outcomes. Researchers have paid less attention to how well students using vouchers integrate—or fit academically, religiously, and socially—into their new schools. The context of the Indiana voucher program is particularly important. First, the number of students and schools participating statewide suggests that the degree to which voucher students integrate will vary across schools. Second, because the voucher program is available to families with a wider range of socioeconomic backgrounds, more students are able to participate. Third, because voucher students previously attended a public school (a requirement of the program), attending a private school is a new experience for them. Collectively, we expect these factors to influence how well students integrate academically, socially, and religiously and that integration will vary greatly across schools.

Data & Methods

We use data collected as part of a larger mixed-methods study on the ICSP for this paper, including over 130 semi-structured interviews with principals, teachers, and voucher/non-voucher parents and students in Indiana private schools (10 Catholic, 4 Christian) that accept voucher students. We chose schools based on various factors, including their academic, racial, and socioeconomic compositions; financial stability; and number of voucher students enrolled.

Our coding scheme is based on a top-down approach that examines themes contained within relevant interview questions. For this study, we focus on the various aspects of academic (performance, meeting expectations and requirements), social (peer interactions, behavior), and religious (participation) integration.

Results & Scholarly Significance

Early results suggest that principals, teachers, parents, and students say that voucher students are well integrated into the school. However, several principals, teachers, and voucher parents report many voucher students struggling to meet the academic expectations and requirements of their new school, especially homework requirements. Furthermore, although respondents informed us that voucher students interact well with their new peers, voucher students also seem to be involved in school disruptions and behavioral issues. While these results represent emergent themes, further analyses may distinguish between widespread observations of voucher students’ academics and behavior versus notions of stereotypes. We also expect further analyses to reveal a high degree of heterogeneity in responses across schools.

Our findings contribute to the growing literature on the implementation of voucher programs. Understanding the issues surrounding the integration of new voucher students in private schools can inform the debate about whether or not voucher programs benefit students and the schools they attend. Moreover, given the size and scope of the Indiana voucher program, these findings on student integration have a broader national appeal as other states and locales consider the introduction of voucher policies.

Authors

• Richard Joseph Waddington, University of Notre Dame

• Mark Berends, University of Notre Dame