The mission of REACH is to provide objective, rigorous, and applicable research that informs and improves school choice policy design and implementation to increase opportunities and outcomes for disadvantaged students.
Highlighting new and noteworthy information from REACH. Check back often for the latest news, publications, and insights on school choice.
A new study by REACH researchers finds that school voucher programs in states across the country have so far raised private school enrollment by only about 3%, but the modest gains mask bigger shifts ahead, including rising tuition and benefits flowing mainly to higher-income families and small, religious schools.
This study examines how the administrative demands of school choice—such as researching options, navigating systems, and completing applications—create obstacles for families. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with parents in Louisiana, Colorado, and Michigan, the researchers highlight the psychological toll of these processes.
The transportation that schools offer affects school choice decisions, according to new research on kindergarten students in Detroit.
Baltimore’s system of school choice requires students and families to select their high schools rather than be assigned one based on where they live. While this system provides flexibility, challenges related to distance and commuting remain, especially for those students who rely on public transportation to get to school. This study uses major changes to the bus system over time to examine the effect of commuting difficulty on school choice.
This study examines how school choice policies impact racial and economic segregation in Michigan. Using student data from 2009-2019, it analyzes the effects of inter-district and charter school enrollment on segregation patterns across the state.