Fertile Soil? How Information does (and does not) Shape Attitudes toward School Choice in Rural America. Issue 4 (2nd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shakeel, M. Danish; Henderson, Michael
• Is Part Of: Journal of school choice. Volume 13:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 467
• Page End: 508
• Publication Date: 2019-10-02
• Subjects: Rural -- school choice -- public opinion -- survey -- politics; School choice -- United States -- Periodicals; School choice; United States; Periodicals; 370
• DOI: 10.1080/15582159.2019.1684792
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1558-2159

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The role of political factors, specifically of public opinion, in the relatively low penetration of charter schools into rural America remains unclear. We use 8 years of national survey data to demonstrate that rural residents express less support for charter schools than residents of other locales do. We attribute this gap to differences in familiarity with charter schools across these locales rather than to differences in satisfaction with local schools or to differences in demographics, party affiliation, or political ideology. However, using a survey experiment and an oversample of districts with charter schools, we show that increased exposure to these schools or information about them does not boost support in rural communities. Lastly, we demonstrate a similar urban-rural gap in support for private school choice policies such as vouchers and tax credits for private school scholarships.