Navigating School Choice at the Intersection of Disability, Race, and Class: Mothers of Students With Disabilities Accessing Information in Competitive Local Education Markets

Abstract

In this study, we examine how mothers of students with disabilities (SWDs) from different racial and class backgrounds access information about schools in competitive local education markets (LEMs). We employ an intersectional approach to school choice that focuses on the labor of mothers and a qualitative design based on interviews and a focus group discussion to answer the following research questions: How do mothers of SWDs search for and find information about school options in LEMs? How and to what extent are their experiences searching for school information shaped by their intersecting social categories (e.g., race and class)? Mothers of SWDS participating in the study searched for information through three mediums: (a) searching at a distance for hard information (i.e., online search and calling schools), (b) campus visits during school open days, and (c) their social networks. Because schools respond to competitive pressures in ableist ways (i.e., offering either limited information relevant to parents of SWDs or information geared to dissuade them from enrolling), mothers relied heavily on information from their social networks, which created inequities in access to information according to parents’ intersecting social categories (i.e., disability, race, and class). The length of experience of mothers in the school district mediated these inequities. We conclude by noting the problematic implications of these findings and recommendations for policy and research.