The Effects of Competition from Private Schooling on French Public School Districts in the Province of Québec

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Province of Québec subsidizes nearly 50% of private education, and at the same time heavily regulates private schools. To date, no studies have been done to determine the effect of the unique nature of competition from K–12 private schools on public school education of the sort found in Québec. The authors used multiple regression to determine the effects of private school competition on school district performance and efficiency. The authors found that private school competition has a positive, though nonsignificant, effect on school district performance. However, private school competition does have a significant, positive effect on the efficiency of public school districts. This gain in efficiency is explained by competition's influence on lowering expenditures across the board.