Charter School Expansion, Catholic School Enrollment, and the Equity Implications of School Choice

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 10:50 am
  In Roundtable Session: Studies in Equity in K–12 Catholic Schools (Table 5)

Abstract

Catholic schools have seen more than a 40% decline in enrollment over the past 20 years. While some of the drops in enrollment may have been spurred by the Church abuse scandal, the increase in schools of choice, principally public charter schools, may explain at least some of this decline. In this paper we estimate the effect of the opening of charter schools in proximity to Catholic schools. We find that the opening of a nearby charter school has a negative impact on Catholic school enrollment and increases the likelihood that the school will close. We also find that charter openings induce greater racial isolation. Finds are especially pronounced in K8 schools, rather than high schools.

Authors

• Shaun Michael Dougherty, Boston College

• Andrew F. Miller, Boston College

• Yerin Yoon, Boston College