Michigan students who use Schools of Choice tend to pick districts with better average test scores and higher graduation rates. Simply, they appear to be choosing schools with better outcomes. Schools of Choice is a policy that has demonstrated increasing popularity, with more than twice as many students using it today than were 10 years ago. Moreover, relatively large rates of participation throughout all areas of the state show that Schools of Choice is a policy that serves significant numbers of students in both urban and rural areas — no small accomplishment.
Though districts have the most control over how many or whether students will be allowed to enroll through Schools of Choice, some state laws and policies still limit districts that may want to enroll more Schools of Choice students. Small changes to state policy could help students access better options by easing restrictions on geography and funding, and limiting districts’ ability to pick and choose incoming students.