Educational attainment effects of public and private school choice

The two fastest growing school choice options are charter schools and private school choice programs, which include vouchers, tax credit scholarships, and education savings accounts. Most research assessing the effects of these programs focuses on student achievement. I review the literature to determine the impact public and private school choice programs have on high school completion, college enrollment, and college persistence which, ultimately, may be different and of greater consequence than test scores. Of the limited research available, it appears that both type of school choice programs have a positive effect on educational attainment overall, however, more research is needed.