Toward an understanding of parents’ preferences for schools

Dr. Courtney A. BellUniversity of Connecticut/

Educational Testing Service

Overview of presentation

•What parents say and do•Two views of parents•Methodology•Overview of the argument•Three examples•Conclusions

What parents say and do

Parents’ stated preferences are consistent and unsurprising:

– Academic excellence, values that match their own, safety, and schools that are close to home.

(Armor & Peiser, 1997; Gill, Timpane, Ross, & Brewer, 2001; Godwin, Kemerer, & Martinez, 1998; Henig, 1990; Holme, 2002; Lee, Croninger, & Smith, 1996;

Schneider & Buckley, 2002 Schneider, Teske, & Marschall, 2000)

Parents’ revealed preferences suggest parents also value:– The racial and social class make-up of peers

(Armor & Peiser, 1997; Gill, Timpane, Ross, & Brewer, 2001; Mickelson, 2005)

We do not understand the disconnect between parents’ words & actions.

Guiding questions

•What is the nature of parents’ preferences?•In what ways do interactions with schools

shape parents’ preferences?•How, if at all, do those interactions differ

across groups of parents?

Two views of parents

•Parents as consumers– Rational choice theory (RCT)

•Parents gather information, have preferences, are limited by constraints, and make choices

•Choice hinges on preferences and constraints

•Parents as social actors– Bourdieu’s (1984) theory of social practice

•Social practice = field + (habitus)(capital)•Choice is shaped by parents’ positions, taken-

for-granted views, and the resources they are able to use

The study

•Choice rich district – Weldon•Prospective longitudinal interview study•Purposeful sample

– School type– Grade level– Family income– School status (Failing v. Non-failing)

Methodology

•3 interviews (60’, 49’, & 34’, respectively)•36 parents choosing 6th and 9th grades•Longitudinal

T1=Feb & March (in-person)

T2=June & July (in-person)

T3=September & October (telephone)

The argument

1. Parents’ preferences were shaped by their interactions with schools.

2. Interactions shaped preferences by influencing the substance and weights of particular preferences, by shaping parents’ expectations, and by shaping their definitions of a good education.

3. The resources that accompany social class background contributed to both the similarities and differences across parents’ interactions with schools.

4. Poor and working class parents’ resources were less useful in mediating these interactions.

5. Preferences reflect both parents’ desires and the socio-historical characteristics of schooling markets.

Shaping expectations:Mrs. Carol and Denzel

•Poor African-American mother of 8th grader, Denzel

•Teachers saw Denzel as a good child who does not do his work

•Retained in 8th grade•Mrs. Carol tried many techniques•Expectations grew increasingly narrow

Shaping expectations:Mrs. Carol and Denzel

[If] I’m sending him to public school for free and he’s going there and he’s not putting forth no effort, then I would really be fighting a losing battle to spend all my money and send him over there [pointing to the private school down the street] and he’s still… ‘Cause you’ve got to be motivated to learn, you know, and that starts from within. And…that’s what I…I’m working on getting him motivated. And that’s hard. (1st interview)

Mrs. Carol explained, “I never used to think this but I really hope I can get him through high school. That’s what I’m focused on. Graduating.” (2nd interview)

Interactionsshaped expectations

•Home-school interactions – Reinforced and changed expectations

•All parents experienced this•The nature of the expectations differed

– 72% changed positively or had positive reinforcement

– 28% changed negatively or had negative reinforcement

– Of the 28%, 90% were poor and working class

Interactionsshaped expectations

•Middle class parents had more and more relevant resources

– Non-school• Psychologists, testing experts • Books, tutoring centers

– Historical experiences • Their own• Those of friends & colleagues

– Different conceptions of parents’ role in schooling

Shifting weights:Mrs. Hawill and Alecia

•Middle class African-American mother of 8th grader, Alecia

•Highly motivated, wants to be a doctor•In January, considering 3 schools – 1 private, 2

academic magnets•Preferred schools with excellent academic

reputations

Shifting weights:Mrs. Hawill and Alecia

They [the magnet schools] didn’t take her. And we’ve been in a battle. There were children in her class who scored less than Alecia and they got in and she didn’t. So, I’ve been meeting with people down at Weldon Public Schools. I have a meeting with [the superintendent] scheduled for the 15th of this month. And I told the last person I met at the school administration building that if [the superintendent] couldn’t get me an answer, I would be calling the news and they can get me an answer. Her best friend got in and she was a 79%. It’s who you know. That’s what it is. Why take the test if they aren’t going to use it. There was a boy who scored in the 60% percentile. He got in and she didn’t. (2nd interview)

Shifting weightsMrs. Hawill and Alecia

•Looked into another magnet school, a charter school, and a religious school

•Compared the schools based on school location, school size, positive learning environment, friends for Alecia, and strong academics

•Some preferences were “new” (school location & friends)

•Some shifted in rank ordering (school size & learning environment)

Interactions changed the weights of particular preferences

•All parents dealt with changing circumstances– Not getting picked in the lottery– Not passing the test for a magnet school– Being unable to come up with the money or

transportation that makes a first choice school possible

•Almost all parents had contingency plans

• Middle class parents had more resources to cushion those interactions & end up with schools higher up on their lists

– Money, work schedules that matched school hours, personal connections, knowledge of how to work the system

• Poor and working class parents had fewer, and less powerful resources

– More respectful of established rules– Few strategies to work around shifting

circumstances

Interactions changed the weights of particular preferences

Shaping the definition of a “good” education

•Many mothers attended court-ordered desegregated schools

•Were the first to cross class and color lines•These experiences framed their preferences for

their children's educations

Shaping the definition of a “good” education Mrs. Feigan

•A successful engineer• Integrated an all-white neighborhood and school in

the early 1970’s•Very good student, attended the best possible

public schools•College was very difficult•Preferred predominantly African-American private or

religious schools that would preserve her son’s self-esteem

Shaping the definition of a “good” education Mrs. Feigan

When I went to [college], it was predominately white because it was an engineering school. Very few women. It was really a struggle in all kinds of ways. But when I talked to friends of mine from high school who went to Howard and places like that, they said ‘You know what? It was so different going there because they treated us kind of like kings and queens. And even when we were struggling, professors really took extra time to make sure that we knew concepts.’ That was not my experience at all. So I think now that it’s okay that they’re in a school with predominately African-American kids because the self-esteem part doesn’t get lost. And if they’re strong enough coming up with that self-esteem, when they get to college where they might…where it might be predominately white, they’re still comfortable enough in their own self that they don’t have to change the tone of their voice. They don’t have to deny certain things like, ‘Yeah, I like collard greens. Okay? Yes, I like watermelon.’ They won’t have to deny that or feel like they’re second. I want them to be bolstered up enough to…feel they can stand up straight. So that’s why they’re at Massey.

Shaping the definition of a “good” education

When you don’t have any idea how big the universe is, it’s really hard to go beyond your mindset. I was blessed. I have seen other things so I feel like I know what I want for the boys.

•Mothers’ educational experiences shaped their definitions of a “good” education

•Schools play a role in parents’ preferences•Prior policies shape responses to current policies

Conclusion

Parents’ preferences Parents’ actions

Parents’ preferences Parents’ actions

Conclusion

•Preferences are- Co-produced with the schooling market- Evolving- Susceptible to shifts in rank order- Historically situated

•Social, organizational, and historical characteristics of schooling markets shape parents’ preferences

•Parents’ preferences reflect more than an individual’s desires

Parents’ 5th and 8th Grade School Status, School Type, and Racial Background, by Social Class (proportion)

Social Class StatusParticipants

Poor/Working Class Middle Class

Previous school status

Failing .36 .25 .61

Non-failing .25 .14 .39

Previous school type

Neighborhood .14 .06 .20

Magnet .17 .06 .23

Charter .25 .08 .33

Religious .03 .11 .14

Secular private .03 .08 .11

Racial background

African-American .56 .33 .89

Latino/Hispanic .03 .00 .03

White .03 .06 .09

Total .61 .39 1.0