School Choice and the Branding of Milwaukee Private Schools*

Abstract

Objective. Brands communicate information to consumers about a good or service. As schoolchoice policies become more widespread and more parents are faced with the task of choosing a school for their child, schools may be branding themselves to differentiate themselves from other schools. This article seeks to determine whether schools possess name brands that influence the choices of parents. Methods. We use multinomial logit to model the relationship between the educational preferences and the selection of schools for 2,600 parents participating in a large, urban private school voucher program. Results. We find that parental choices are systematic. Parents who value particular school characteristics tend to choose schools with brands that espouse those characteristics. Conclusion. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that schools carry brands that communicate information to parents who then use the brands to help them select schools for their children.

Parental preferences in the choice for a specialty school

“…A survey-based study of low-income parents in Washington, DC shows that in the beginning of the journey, private voucher users indicate that safety factors and school characteristics-such as religion, foreign languages, ethnic diversity, and school location-were the most relevant parent motivations for school choice (Stewart & Wolf, 2014). In contrast, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the preference for public school versus private schools for families awarded with a school voucher program was not associated with the availability of special programs, the quality or availability of school facilities, and the preference for school safety (Cheng, Trivitt, & Wolf, 2016).…”

“…In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, using MNL, researchers demonstrate that brands influence the choices of parents; for example, parents who value religion education tend to choose faith-based schools (Cheng et al, 2016).…”

The Effects of Regulations on Private School Choice Program Participation: Experimental Evidence from Florida

“…One possible explanation for the significant negative effect of open‐enrollment regulations on private school participation in a school choice program is the concern that such regulations would ultimately limit a school's ability to serve a particular mission or focus. Private schools tend to operate as intentional communities built upon a belief system and a code of conduct (Trivitt and Wolf, ; Cheng, Trivitt, and Wolf, ). Families select into private schools, and in some cases, do so precisely because the school has a code of conduct and a belief system that aligns with their own.…”

A Longitudinal Analysis of Volunteerism Activities for Individuals Educated in Public and Private Schools

“…These students may become disconnected from broader Catholic institutions and social networks that sustain volunteerism behavior (Omoto & Snyder, 2002;Synder & Omoto, 2008). Indeed, many students in Catholic schools are not Catholic and it is not uncommon for Catholic students to become disconnected from the Church as they enter adulthood (Cheng et al, 2016;Smith et al, 2014). The ending of secondary school is a significant time of transition among adolescents and volunteerism may dissipate without norms and expectations in new communities to sustain those practices amidst other competing priorities and goals (Jones, & Hill, 2003;Marks & Jones, 2004).…”