När jag gick i skolan fanns ingen möjlighet att välja vilken offentlig skola man skulle gå i. Man placerades i en skola, beroende på var man bodde. Vilka blir effekterna av att tillåta val av offentlig skola? En israelisk studie, ”Effects of Choice Among Public Schools”, publicerad i Review of Economic Studies (preliminär gratisversion här), finner följande:

[T]he results consistently suggest that choice significantly reduces the drop-out rate and increases the cognitive achievements of high-school students. It also improves behavioural outcomes such as teacher–student relationships and students’ social acclimation and satisfaction at school, and reduces the level of violence and classroom disruption.

Det låter som en bra reform, det där.