PUB TYPE Reports- Research/Technical (143)

To investigate how parents currently choose their children's schools and how a federal tuition tax credit might affect their decisions, the School Finance Project conducted a national telephone interview survey of 1,223 households with children in grades K-11 in June and July 1982. Of the families interviewed, about 88 percent had children in public schools; about 12 percent had children in private schools. Following a discussion in chapter 1 of the study's methodology and survey sample characteristics (region, income, race, parental education, residence, and religion), chapter 2 presents the study's findings concerning parental choice of schooling. Chapter 3 examines parental inclinations to transfer children to a different school under a tax credit. The fourth and last chapter discusses the implications of parental preferences and the likelihood that parents would or could actually transfer their children to private schools under a tax credit. Survey findings indicate that a tuition tax credit could result in significantly higher private school enrollments in grades 1-12 with more students from minorities and less from affluent backgrounds, though private schools may be unable to absorb large enrollment increases in the short run. The study includes seven appendixes and numerous tables and figures. (:.BM) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document.