Latino Parents’ Choice of Magnet School: How School Choice Differs Across Racial and Ethnic Boundaries

Abstract

Historically, magnet schools have served predominantly Black and Anglo populations. Consequently, little research exists on Latino parent’s engagement in school choice and their patterns of participation. Magnet schools are increasingly part of the landscape for improving school achievement for all students. Yet Latino enrollment rates in magnet schools fall short of their representation within most urban populations as well the population as a whole. This article explores the factors that influence Latino parents’ participation in magnet school choice. The findings show that Latino parents who participate in school choice come from vastly different educational backgrounds, tend to be solidly middle income, are either second-generation immigrants or are married to one; the social networks of the most educated Latino parents do not include people with access to magnet schools. This study holds policy implications for similar cities in the new Latino South that are shifting to unitary status.

Parental preferences in the choice for a specialty school

“…Latino magnet school choosers in Nashville, Tennessee, considered academic factors and safety to be high priorities when choosing a school (Taylor et al, 2010). A survey-based study of low-income parents in Washington, DC shows that in the beginning of the journey, private voucher users indicate that safety factors and school characteristics-such as religion, foreign languages, ethnic diversity, and school location-were the most relevant parent motivations for school choice (Stewart & Wolf, 2014).…”

“…The top reason for the creation of magnet schools was to promote racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic student diversity (Blank, 1983;Butler, Carr, Toma, & Zimmer, 2013;DOE, 2004;Rossell, 1991;Smrekar, 2009;Smrekar & Honey, 2015;Taylor, Phillips, & Goldring, 2010).…”

Similar Students, Different Choices

“…Jacobs (2011) provides a helpful framework for examining this question. Haynes, Phillips, and Goldring (2010) find that Latinos were much less likely than parents of other races to hear about schools from their social network. Parents typically learn about school options through their social networks (e.g., Goldring & Phillips, 2008;Stewart & Wolf, 2012;Witte, 2000).…”

“…Because low-income and minority parents have less stable and smaller social networks (Schneider, Teske, & Marschall, 2000;Smrekar & Goldring, 1999), disadvantaged parents might struggle to gather the necessary information to make informed decisions (e.g., Henig, 1994;Stewart & Wolf, 2011). Parents often claim that academic factors and educational quality are the main reason for using school choice (e.g., Finn, Manno, & Vanourek, 2000;Haynes et al, 2010;Howell & Peterson, 2006;Kleitz, Weiher, Tedin, & Matland, 2000;Martinez et al, 1995;Witte, 2000). Deficiencies in social networks cannot easily be replaced by other sources of information.…”

Measuring Inequality of Opportunity in Access to Quality Basic Education: A Case Study in Florida, US

“…Transportation is provided at no cost to families to almost all magnet schools. They emerged in the US as one means to eliminate, reduce, and prevent minority group isolation [35]. They tend to perform well and have a more diverse student population than neighborhood schools.…”