Title: The impact of competition associated with charter schools and inter-district school choice policies on educators and schools

Authors: Wang Jun Kim; Peter Youngs

Addresses: Department of Education, Gyeongin National University of Education, Gyesanro 62, Gyeyanggu, Incheon, 407-753, Republic of Korea ' Department of Teacher Education, Michigan State University, 620 Farm Lane, 352 Erickson Hall, E. Lansing, MI 48824, USA

Abstract: This study uses survey data to examine how teachers and school administrators in traditional public schools in Michigan (USA) perceive the impact of charter schools and inter-district school choice policies on themselves and their schools. The authors utilise two competing economics perspectives to examine these questions: the neoclassical economics (NCE) perspective and the institutional and behavioural economics (IBE) perspective. The findings do not support the assumption of the NCE perspective that educators will respond to charter schools and inter-district choice programmes by improving school quality (by, for example, making improvements in their teaching or leadership practices, academic programmes, extra-curricular activities, or relationships with parents; or increasing teacher collaboration with colleagues).

Keywords: charter schools; inter-district schools; school choice; school competition; neoclassical economics; NCE; institutional and behavioural economics; IBE; school improvement; public schools; policy impacts; school quality; USA; United States.

DOI: 10.1504/IJQRE.2013.057693

International Journal of Quantitative Research in Education, 2013 Vol.1 No.3, pp.316 - 340

Received: 28 Dec 2012
Accepted: 24 May 2013
Published online: 29 Apr 2014 *

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