In contemporary education systems, school choice has become an omnipresent feature, whether as an intentionally designed policy for example in form of open enrollment policies, implementation of alternative school types or as choice between different school tracks. And even when not explicitly intended, families face choice options like opting out of the assigned public school by choosing private institutions or relocating to access preferred educational environments. This symposium explores the complexities of school choice in an international context, analyzing its mechanisms, outcomes, and broader implications across educational systems in several European countries: Czechia, England, Germany, Spain, and Sweden.

Theoretically, the promotion of school choice and the accompanying competition between schools is often framed as a form of marketization in education. Rooted in market theory, this perspective assumes that rational decision-making by families and schools seeking to maximize utility will drive improvements in educational quality and reduce inequalities (Le Grand, 1991). However, empirical evidence suggests that these positive effects rarely materialize. Instead, school choice often fosters increased segregation, amplifying both social and ethnic inequalities in education (Waslander et al., 2010).

One critical question is why these intended benefits fail to materialize and how contrary effects emerge. This symposium identifies several interconnected factors shaping school choice outcomes, spanning individual, organizational, and systemic levels. At the systemic level, policy design plays a pivotal role. Specific policy features, such as admission criteria, the structure of school types, and governance models, significantly influence how school choice operates (West, 2006). Additionally, geographic factors such as the spatial distribution of schools and families profoundly affect access and options (Burgess et al., 2011).

On the organizational level, schools and local authorities are key actors. Their responses to competitive pressures often shape the dynamics of school choice, whether by adopting selective admission practices, marketing strategies, or other behaviors to position themselves advantageously within the educational market (Lubienski, 2009). At the individual level, parental choice is far from uniform; it is shaped by families’ socio-economic and cultural resources (Holmes Erikson, 2017). Families with greater resources often employ sophisticated strategies, including relocating or choosing private schools, to secure perceived advantages for their children, further entrenching inequalities (Holloway & Pimlott-Wilson, 2012).

The symposium also delves into the broader societal implications of school choice. It looks at competition and assessment practices as socially constructed phenomena that are neither neutral nor universally beneficial. These mechanisms often serve specific political and economic interests, reinforcing the status of winners and losers within the education system (Arora-Jonsson et al., 2020). Furthermore, the territorial implications of these practices, such as disparities between urban and rural regions, highlight the broader consequences of market-oriented reforms in education.

By adopting a multi-disciplinary and multi-method approach, this symposium offers a comprehensive analysis of school choice. Drawing on perspectives from sociology, geography, and educational science, it examines the phenomenon from multiple angles, including policy design, parental behavior, and institutional responses. This multi-level analysis aims to uncover the mechanisms behind the observed outcomes of school choice and to offer new insights into its broader implications for educational equality and social cohesion.

The symposium also serves as a platform for integrating diverse analytical perspectives that are often treated separately. This cross-disciplinary dialogue seeks to move beyond fragmented analyses, generating fresh impetus for understanding the complexities of school choice and its role in shaping modern education systems.

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