THE IMPLICATIONS OF EXPANDED SCHOOL CHOICE

The determinants of school choice have significant implications for a variety of public policies including the impact of school vouchers. Th is article presents a conceptual and empirical model of individual-lev el school choice over public in-district and transfer schooling, relig ious private and nonreligious private schooling, and home schooling. U sing a unique survey data set for the state of Tennessee. the authors estimate the impact of own-and cross-price elasticities on the actual schooling choice measured by school district within the state. They fi nd that these elasticities are important determinants of school choice . Using the empirical results. simulations suggest that a hypothetical $500 school voucher would reduce public school enrollment in city sch ool districts by 8%.