Competition And School Choice: Inequality And Competition

Inequality and Competition

In the 1990’s the school choice movement gained momentum through John E. Chubb and Terry M. Moe’s bold assumption that “school choice would make it possible to break the iron grip of the adult interest group, unleash the positive power of competition, and achieve academic excellence” (Ravitch 118). Many advocates for school choice share a similar belief in the positive effect school choice and competition create in schools. When comparing the statistics to this notion, however, one finds an opposite conclusion than the one proposed. The school choice approach and the importance of competition in schools generates a stress on both charter schools and district schools to feature high-achieving students and dismiss

In market choice consumers carry the power. Consumers demand products through their willingness and ability to purchase products. As a result of their demand, firms supply or produce goods to satisfy consumers. Both supply and demand can be graphed on supply and demand curves with price as the independent variable and quantity as the dependent variable. The demand curve follows a negative slope, so as the quantity demanded increases price decreases. The supply curve follows an opposite, positive curve, as the quantity supplied increases, so does the price. Looking at both on the same axis we can recognize how supply and demand relate. To see the supply and demand curves for a product, we would look at the quantity supplied verses the quantity

Parents want what is best for their children, which comes in the form of a good education. In this circumstance, families are the consumers and the products they want to invest in are prosperous schools. The demand for good schools creates a positive shift in the demand curve. The market, in response to the shift, must satisfy the consumer. Successful schools cannot be easily mass produced, however, so instead of creating new schools, the price of vacancies at existing schools increase. This again creates market pressure, and the demand creates competition between schools to provide for and satisfy the