If we are to fully understand the demand side of school choice, we have to understand geography. But geography is not simply distance and commute time. It is also neighborhood and community. Using two conceptions of geography--space and place--I investigate how and when geography factored into parents' thinking. Drawing on spatial analyses of…

Examines the loss of confidence in the educational system in juxtaposition with recent indicators showing growing confidence in the value of public schools. Explores ways of reconciling the conflicting evidence and argues the need for more sophisticated definition of public confidence in education. (GR)