RFA: Uneven Playing Field: Demographic Differences and High School "Choice" in Philadelphia

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Research and Reporting Activity

Submitted by jgottschalk on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 15:35

Uneven Playing Field: Demographic Differences and High School "Choice" in Philadelphia, a policy brief from Research for Action, expands on our recent work on school selection policies. The brief studies specific components of the high school selection process in Philadelphia, and shows how they contribute to creating a highly stratified high school system.

Students in certain demographic categories - in particular Blacks, Latinos, males, and special education students - were less likely to participate in the selection process; among applicants, they were also significantly less likely to be ultimately enrolled at a school of their choosing. Students who are not enrolled at a school of their choice are instead placed in their local neighborhood high school - the same schools which our research has shown time and again are disadvantaged by educational policies in Philadelphia. 

This is the third in a series of policy briefs based on RFA's major report, Transition to High School: School "Choice" and Freshman Year in Philadelphia, released in March 2010. VIEW ALL


Activity Information

What students and communities are you learning about or reporting on?
What educational elements and reforms are you learning about or reporting on?
What were or are the most effective ways to use what you observe and learn?
Give a report to a meeting of your group.
Write a letter to school officials or policy makers.
Write a letter to the newspaper editor.
Meet with school officials or policy makers.
Plan an advocacy or organizing action to draw attention to your concerns.
Develop recommendations to change education policies or laws.
What were the outcomes of your observations and learning experiences?
You share what you learned with others.
You identify other issues that require further observation and learning.
You document real problems.
You use your new understanding to influence education policies and laws.
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