Is there real freedom of school choice? An analysis from Chile

Abstract

Between 1981 and 1990, Chile began to implement an education reform based on school choice and a financing system through vouchers. In theory, the System ensures complete freedom of choice of school by families. This paper attempts to identify the existence of factors that conditioned the enrolment process in the different types of schools existing nowadays in the Chilean educational system, the largest quasi-market of Latin America. Results show a social stratification and separation by schools and indicate how geographical distance and social composition are the most critical factors for families when choosing a school.