Education Freedom and Student Achievement: Is More School Choice Associated with Higher State-Level Performance on the NAEP?

Authors

Patrick J. Wolf, University of Arkansas, FayettevilleFollow
Jay P. Greene, University of Arkansas, FayettevilleFollow
Matthew Ladner, Arizona Center for Student Opportunity
James D. Paul, University of Arkansas, FayettevilleFollow

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

3-2021

Keywords

Higher performance, student performance, school choice, education freedom, National Assessment of Education Progress

Abstract

School choice is on the rise in many states. Since the start of the new millennium, many states have launched or expanded private school choice options, permitted and expanded independently operated public charter schools, eased restrictions on homeschooling, and enacted policies that allow and encourage various forms of public school choice. One thing that is not on the rise, unfortunately, is average student scores on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Student performance on the assessments, typically called “The Nation’s Report Card,” were flat from 2001 until 2015 and have dropped slightly in both 2017 and 2019.

Citation

Wolf, P. J., Greene, J. P., Ladner, M., & Paul, J. D. (2021). Education Freedom and Student Achievement: Is More School Choice Associated with Higher State-Level Performance on the NAEP?. School Choice Demonstration Project. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/scdp/83