Abstract
While the current debate about the effects of vouchers focuses on the effects of private schools on achievement, too little research has examined how the introduction of need-based scholarships influenced change in school systems. This study uses a qualitative method to examine the influence of a privately funded scholarship program on strategic adaptations within urban public and private schools in a major metropolitan area. Interviews with site administrators in public and private schools revealed that public schools hastened movement toward development of distinctive school missions that provided market niches, while private schools that recruited low-income students began to explore ways of adapting curricula and services to meet the learning needs of more diverse students. However, public school administrators were caught in the middle, between the mandates of boards and central administrators and the resistance of teachers and the bureaucratic nature of the education system. This tension impeded their capacity to adapt to the new market-oriented environment.
Published Version
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