Schools of Choice and Neighborhood Schools: A Texas Statewide Investigation into the Academic Achievement of Their Students of Color

Abstract

Differences between schools of choice and neighborhood high schools were examined in terms of the performance of their students of color on the Texas state-mandated English I and Algebra 1 exams for three school years. Hispanic students from neighborhood campuses outperformed their peers from the schools of choice at the Approaches and Meets Grade Level standards but not at the Masters Grade Level standard on the English I exam, and on the Algebra I exam except at the Meets Grade Level standard. Black students from schools of choice outperformed their peers from the traditional high schools on the English I exam but not on the Algebra I EOC exam. Implications and recommendations for future research were discussed.