Choosing a High School in Open Enrollment Areas: Voices of Israeli Parents and Children

Abstract

Advocates of school choice reform in education believe that when parents are granted the right to choose their child's school, they will act rationally, in a goal-oriented fashion, to maximize their educational utility by finding the "best" school for their children. The current qualitative study aims to examine these basic assumptions by exploring the elements that comprise the process of school choice, thereby unearthing the reasons for choosing or rejecting a school. Based on data gathered from eight families in Tel Aviv, it seems that a major factor in choosing a school among these Israeli families was the child's classmates in the elementary school, and their decision was largely influenced by inaccurate, informal sources of information. Theoretical implications for parental choice reform are suggested. School choice has been introduced in many Western countries over the past two decades (

The Place of the “Open House” in the School-Choice Process

“…For example, an Israeli study revealed that families went to these events in at least two schools (Oplatka, 2003). In England, students intending to leave secondary education found further education institutions' open evenings to be most important single information source (Foskett & Hemsley-Brown, 2001).…”

“…Past research has supported some of the theoretical observations indicated above, pointing to the centrality of the open evening in the schoolchoice process. For example, an Israeli study revealed that families went to these events in at least two schools (Oplatka, 2003). In England, students intending to leave secondary education found further education institutions' open evenings to be most important single information source (Foskett & Hemsley-Brown, 2001).…”

“…It follows that sometimes teachers are aware of the mediating role of other choice factors with regard to the influence of the open house, such as proximity to home, friends, and rumors, all factors that have already been identified in the research on school choice (Foskett & Hemsley-Brown, 2001;Maddaus, 1990;Oplatka, 2003;Peterson & Hassel, 1998).…”