Choice Watch: Diversity and Access in Connecticut's School Choice Programs

• In Event: 70.066 - Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: 70.066-15 - Investigating Public School Choice in Connecticut at State, City, and School Levels

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of public school choice programs statewide on the goals of providing opportunities to the most disadvantaged students and reducing racial, ethnic, and economic isolation. In particular, the study focuses on demographic patterns in Connecticut’s interdistrict magnet, charter, and technical schools.

In Connecticut, public school choice programs intend to support the State’s goals of providing an equal educational opportunity to every child and reducing racial, ethnic, and economic isolation of the children in public schools. These programs have been expanded with millions of dollars in spending beyond the State’s commitment to local schools.

National research shows that when carefully designed and regulated, school choice can help reduce student racial and ethnic isolation in public schools and provide otherwise disadvantaged students access to more robust learning environments. This is “choice with equity”. (Cobb and Glass 2009, Frankenberg and Orfield et. al. 2013) When poorly designed, however, choice programs can exacerbate existing segregation and limit educational opportunities for students for particular groups of children. (Ladd et. al. 2009, Hsieh and Urqiola 2003)
Analyzing Connecticut State Department of Education enrollment data, this mixed method study compares public choice schools demographics with local school district enrollment. (Miron, Urschel, Mathis, and Tornquist 2010) The enrollment data is also evaluated with regard to the requirements of Connecticut law regarding racial and ethnic desegregation and equity for relatively disadvantaged groups of students.
The study finds that interdistrict magnet school and technical schools tend to be (numerically) racially and economically “integrated” if we used free/reduced price meal eligibility as the measure for the latter. Charter schools in the state tend to be racially hyper-segregated (Frankenberg, Siegel-Hawley, and Wang 2010), but not necessarily as isolated in terms of economic status (free and reduced price meal eligibility). All three tend to have a lower percentage of children with disabilities and emerging bilingual students (ELL) when compared to their local school district averages.

The study contends that these enrollment trends are the result of Connecticut State policy. The rapid expansion of school choice programs is an example of how the State creates new contradictions in policy when it attempts to use school choice programs to resolve competing claims to address intense racial and ethnic isolation through interdistrict magnet schools; and to address Connecticut’s substantial disparities in opportunity and achievement through desegregated magnets and segregated charter schools. (Lipman 2012)
When State law requires school choice desegregation standards and policy provide financial and other support towards these goals, then public school choice programs are more often racially/ethnically desegregated. When either desegregation standards or supports are absent, then schools are often racially/ethnically, but not necessarily “economically” isolated. (Mead & Green 2012) State policy has the potential to support better participation of some groups such as students with disabilities, while regressive policies can conspire to make school choice programs less inclusive for other groups like emerging bilingual children. (Darling-Hammond 2006, Scott and Stuart Wells 2013)

Authors

• Robert Cotto, Trinity College

• Kenny Feder