The Effect of Private School Regulations on School Participation

• In Event: The Sustainability of Private Faith-Based Schools

Abstract

Parental preference is a powerful predictor of student outcomes. Several recent studies find a causal relationship between parental preference and test scores, graduation rates, health outcomes, and labor market outcomes. Yet regulations of private school choice programs may limit choices available to parents by discouraging schools from participating. The purpose of this study was to identify which regulations reduce participation among Christian private schools.
In this experimental study, school leaders of member schools of the largest U.S. Christian school association were asked how likely their school would participate in a hypothetical private school choice program. School leaders were randomly assigned to a control condition or one of four treatment conditions, each with a different regulation: standardized testing, open enrollment, employment regulation, and copay prohibition. The survey was administered in April 2022. Altogether, 354 school leaders participated in the survey experiment.
In our analysis, we find that the employment regulation and open enrollment mandate produced large negative effects on participation. In examining effect heterogeneity, we find that leaders of accredited schools and schools with special programs (including special education or an alternative curriculum) were more sensitive to regulations, responding more negatively than leaders of unaccredited schools or schools without such programs. We also find some regional variation in treatment effects, with leaders in a specific region responding more negatively to a specific requirement.
This study makes several important contributions to research literature on private school choice. First, as a randomized controlled trial, the study provides unbiased estimates of the effect of regulations on private school choice program participation. Second, our study focuses on the Christian school sector, an important subgroup of private schools as many parents desire a faith-based education for their children. Third, while previous studies examine the question in regional contexts, our study uses national data from one of the largest private school associations in the United States.

Authors

• Matthew H. Lee, Association of Christian Schools International
  Presenting Author

• Eric W. Price, Association of Christian Schools International
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lynn E. Swaner, Association of Christian Schools International
  Non-Presenting Author