Understanding the Typology of Families Who Move for Their Child's Schooling: A Latent Class Analysis

• In Event: Perspectives of Stakeholders in School Choice Contexts

Abstract

This study investigates the extent to which there is a typology of families who move to a new neighborhood so their child can attend a particular school. By conducting a Latent Class Analysis with a nationally representative dataset, the NHES Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey (n=2,693), I determine there are four significantly different types of families who move for this purpose: Committers, Remorseful Buyers, School Devotees, and Sideliners. Furthermore, contextual factors such as household income, marital status, race, school type, home ownership, and parent age are significantly associated with the odds of belonging to some of these groups. The implications of this typology on research and policies related to school choice, social stratification, and equity will be discussed.

Author

• Iris Daruwala, Teachers College, Columbia University