Many papers have now examined the competitive effects of charter and voucher programs; relatively less attention has been paid to the potential competitive effects of other school choice programs. Our paper attempts to continue to fill this void, by examining the potential competitive effects of transfers within a statewide open enrollment program…

The number of students choosing to open enroll in Greater Minnesota has been trending upward consistently since the policy was developed, but within the last ten years, these patterns have been intensifying, and in such a way that they are impacting how districts plan their programming, busing, and finances. Many districts are even be forced to…

The number of school districts with socioeconomic integration plans has more than doubled in the past decade and the sophistication of such plans has increased. The nine district case studies from across the United States profiled in this report provide valuable lessons for school integration efforts: (1) When socioeconomic diversity policies are…

The bulk of research on the implementation of school choice policies has focused on how choice has been implemented in urban school systems. As of 2007, however, suburban students comprised more than one fourth (29%) of all students engaging in some form of public school choice in the United States. This article examines the implementation of…

Interdistrict open enrollment is the most widely used form of school choice in the United States. Through the theoretical lens of a utility maximization framework, this article analyzes the determinants of interdistrict open enrollment flows in Minnesota and Colorado. The authors' empirical analysis employs an original data set that details open…

Does school choice enhance the ability of school districts to raise revenue? School districts use charter and magnet schools to attract and retain students, but does choice improve the odds for school districts seeking increased taxing authority at the polls? If those parents who choose schools are attentive to district policies, then increasing…

According to an American Association of School Administrators survey, 6 percent of school districts closed or consolidated schools during the 2008-2009 school year, double the rate of the previous year. Another 11 percent are considering school closings or consolidations in 2010-2011. In the 1980's, declining enrollments were the main reason for…

Schools today are increasingly market driven, and public schools are competing for students with numerous other educational options. Homeschool education continues to grow rapidly as one such option. Minnesota, considered a leader in school choice, has experienced rapid growth in the incidence of home-educated children. Such growth raises…

Choice is the basis for Minnesota's school improvement plan. School districts decide whether they want to participate, but they may not be selective about who they admit. Districts must release students who want to attend school elsewhere. The plan is too new to evaluate, but public support for it is increasing. (VM)

A sweeping parental choice bill passed recently in Minnesota spearheaded parental choice plans recently passed or under consideration in more than a dozen states. Explores the background and pros and cons of parental choice. (MLF)

A survey of 62 Minnesota directors of special education examined 20 issues of school choice pertinent to school districts. Issues listed as important by the most respondents were excess program costs, the effects of enrollment options on the planning process, and the billing of resident districts for special education services. (JDD)

This report presents a second look at the effects of Minnesota's School District Enrollment Options Program, usually referred to as the Open Enrollment Program. This interdistrict enrollment program allows families and students to apply for enrollment in any school district other than the one in which they reside. This document focuses on the…

This paper examines the impact on small rural school districts of school choice programs available in Minnesota. An opening section traces the history of school choice in Minnesota since 1983, focusing on two programs enacted in 1990: enrollment options (EO), which allows students to attend any public school without cost, and postsecondary…

A random sample of Minnesota school districts participated in a study that examined the participation rates of students with disabilities in school choice options and tuition agreements. Surveys were sent to 100 Directors of Special Education; the response rate was 74%. The Directors of Special Education were asked to document the number of…

This document examines the implementation and early effects of Minnesota's open-enrollment option, which allows families to apply to enroll their children in a public school in any nonresident school district in the state. During 1989-90, surveys were mailed to 2,663 participating families, 1,966 secondary school students, and all 432 district…