Effects of Scaling Up Private School Choice Programs on Public School Students

This quasi-experimental study by David N. Figlio, Cassandra M.D. Hart, and Krzysztof Karbownik examines how increased competition from private school vouchers impacts public school students’ outcomes. The authors measure private school competition in Florida in a variety of ways, including the number of private schools, the number of seats within private schools, and the diversity of religious options across private schools. The authors find that public school students in areas with more private school competition experience significant gains in test scores and reductions in suspensions and absences.