School choice for transnational parents in Tokyo

Abstract

School choice is centred on parents deciding where and how their children will be educated, and this issue is similar -to varying degrees -for parents all around the world. Parental school choice is the authority that parents exercise in making decisions about where their children will attend school, and choosing a particular educational pathway signifies their capacity to respond on behalf of their children and to address concerns about their development. Most parents have a deep commitment to their children's education since childhood opportunities provide the basis for cognitive learning, health and happiness. Transnational parents want to support their children to the best of their ability. However, cultural, linguistic, economic and other barriers may limit their ability to choose a school in an unfamiliar context. To advance scholarship on transnational families, this article presents a review of the school choice options available to transnational parents residing in Tokyo, Japan.

Factors Influencing Saudi Parents’ Choice of International Schools in Saudi Arabia

“…Education is one of parents’ essential obligations towards their children (Velliaris and Willis, 2013). The expansion of international schools in Saudi Arabia has broadened school choice, enabling parents to choose schools that diverge from the standard Saudi curriculum.…”

“…As a consequence of the small sample size, although findings of the study introduce important insights for further inquiry and might be of interest for policymakers, they cannot be taken to be generalizable to other research settings. Education is one of parents' essential obligations towards their children (Velliaris and Willis, 2013). The expansion of international schools in Saudi Arabia has broadened school choice, enabling parents to choose schools that diverge from the standard Saudi curriculum.…”

Hispanic, English Learner, and Low-Income Parental Magnet Middle School Choice in a Majority Hispanic California Community

“…The most important factors are geographical, including population density, the nature of local housing, the diversity of the local population, and local levels of residential segregation (Morgan & Blackmore, 2007). A study of parental school choice in Tokyo, Japan, found that transnational parents (non-Japanese born parents) experience barriers such as cultural, linguistic, and economic differences from the majority community that limit their ability to choose a school in an unfamiliar context (Velliaris & Willis, 2013). A study of school choice in Finland found that parental school choice may be more beneficial to some social classes than to others, concluding that families with high levels of education and income actively exercise parental choice resulting in elite separatism (Varjo et al, 2014).…”

“…Studies suggest that parental school choice is not exercised by all parents equally. Over three decades of studies, conducted in the United States and throughout the world, suggest that parental school choice is primarily exercised by middle-class, ethnic majority, dominant language–speaking families (Beabout & Cambre, 2013; Bernal, 2005; Bosetti & Pyryt, 2007; Gabay-Egozi, 2016; Goldring & Hausman, 1999; Morgan & Blackmore, 2007; Neild, 2005; Räty, 2013; Taylor Haynes et al, 2010; Vamstad, 2014; Varjo et al, 2014; Velliaris & Willis, 2013). Historically, magnet schools have served predominately Black and Anglo populations and little research exists on Latinx (Hispanic) parent’s engagement in school choice and their patterns of participation (Taylor Haynes et al, 2010).…”

International family profiles and parental school choice in Tokyo

“…Interviewee M = mother's cultural background typology of schools in Tokyo ranges along a continuum from national to international (and with many unlisted variations in between). The school choice options can be categorised as four main/ dominant types (Velliaris and Willis, 2013):…”