Choosing private schools: Examining primary school enrollment decisions in rural North India

Abstract

This study examines primary school choice in seven states in rural north India, using data from a survey of schools and 1586 households in 274 villages. The analysis emphasizes the role of choice sets faced by rural households, given uneven provision of primary education, and of the relative importance of voice versus exit in household decisions on school choice. The overarching findings suggest that parents value the facilities and functionality of the chosen school and are sensitive to the characteristics of the alternatives available, with possible differences based on the gender of the child. Significantly, the odds that the chosen school is privately managed are lower when variables denoting quality of the government schools in the village are higher. However, the presence of vehicles for parental representation denoting voice does not matter in expected ways. Overall, parents might be discerning with respect to individual school characteristics rather than merely sorting over school management type.