Factors that Influence School Choice: A Look at Parents’ and School Leaders’ Perceptions

Abstract

School choice is a growing movement, and public school districts are faced with the challenge of preventing declines in student enrollment. In response, school districts must work to retain enrolled students and at the same time, attract new students. This qualitative study focused on developing an understanding of the factors that influence parents’ decisions to enroll their child(ren) in a chosen school, that is, a school which differs from that assigned to the student, also known as school choice. This case study examined data from the perspectives and experiences of parents and public school district leaders. Results suggest that school leaders need to ensure they build good relationships with parents and keep a positive school culture where customer service is valued and held to the highest standards. In essence, school leaders must maintain strong partnerships with their families to attract and retain student enrollment. The results from this study equip school leaders with valuable information for strategic planning to address declines in student enrollment.

Determinants of Parental School Choice: A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…The physical characteristics of a school and its buildings are appealing to them and therefore, an influential factor when determining their school of choice (Cantu, Verela, Jones, & Challoo, 2021).…”

“…A safe and secure school environment facilitates and fosters quality teaching and learning in educational institutions (Oiyer, Odundo, Obat, Lilian, & Akondo, 2015). Also, safety measures were influential in parental school choice decisions to enroll in a particular school in the USA (Cantu, Verela, Jones, & Challoo, 2021).…”

Parental Involvement and Academic Achievement: Voices of Role-Players in Secondary Schools in Mpumalanga, South Africa

“…Despite the widespread acknowledgment, among the relevant scholars, of the potential benefits that come from parents being actively engaged in their children's education, noticeable gaps still exist between theory and parental involvement practice in schools (Cantu et al 2021;Durmuşoğlu et al, 2022;Hornby & Lafaele, 2011;Munje & Mncube, 2018;Sibanda, 2021). According to, Gonzalez DeHass, Willems and Holbein (2005), the low income, or poor financial background, of families tends to hamper effective parental involvement, since the parents involved are then compelled to work extended hours or multiple jobs, which leads to them having less time for involvement at home to assist their children with homework.…”

Predicting High School Students’ Global Civic Engagement: A Multiple Regression Analysis

“…Technological developments, automation, and the Internet business models, cross-border migration has resulted in new opportunities and challenges (Kalimullina, Tarman, & Stepanova, 2021; Kilinc & Tarman, 2018; Merryfield, 2008). The world in which today’s adults were educated is essentially dissimilar from the world in which today’s young generations live (Asia Society, 2016; Cantu, Varela, Jones, & Challoo, 2021; Carothers, Aydin, & Halpern, 2021; Evans-Amalu & Claravall, 2021; Shatunova, Bozhkova, Tarman, & Shastina, 2021). These changes have raised questions about the aim of education and the role of schooling (Guerra, Lopez, & Benavides, 2020; Lee & Lee, 2020; Leslie, Watson, Borunda, Bosworth, & Grant, 2021; Morris & Chapman, 2020).…”