School choice, student assignment mechanisms and families preferences: an evaluation based on equity criteria

This article proposes a scheme of evaluation of school choice effects on equity. It determines a set of criteria derived from the theories of justice applied to education and articulates them with equity indicators established from a review of the international literature. From this scheme the effects of different students assignment mechanisms with a collective treatment of families preferences are analyzed. The article shows that these mechanisms are not condemned to decrease equality of educational opportunities or to favour social classes well endowed socially. Nevertheless, the components of the "formula of school choice" and, in particular, certain conditions of the students assignment mechanism, are necessary for such a device to be able to limit significantly and, in a longer term, to decrease the negative effects on equity.