Ladd, H., (2003)

‘Comment on Caroline Hoxby: School choice and competition:
evidence from the United States.’

Swedish Economic Policy Review 10, pp. 67-76

  • Argues that Hoxby is premature in her judgement that school choice can definitely be a positive force in education.
  • Ladd is sceptical about choice for 3 main reasons –
    (1) Much education is compulsory, making shutting down failing schools difficult
    (2) The existence of peer effects possibly leads to cream-skimming
    (3) Ladd believes that prices are not an appropriate mechanism for allocating spaces in schools.
  • Ladd also states that, for all the sophistication of Hoxby’s empirical work on voucher & charter programs, it would be premature to accept Hoxby’s conclusions without corroboration from other researchers.



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Page updated 13/02/2008 by Alison Taylor