Date of Award
2026
Type
Dissertation
Major
Doctor of Education
Degree Type
Doctor of Education In Curriculum and Leadership (Educational Leadership)
Department
Teacher Education
First Advisor
Dr. Jessica Banks
Second Advisor
Dr. Parul Acharya
Third Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Lovelace
Abstract
Public schools face challenges that directly impact the quality of education and educational programming. Declining student enrollment trends affect school funding and resource allocation for school improvement. This qualitative case study identified key factors influencing parents' perceptions of school quality and explored how these perceptions shaped school choice decision-making. Guided by Rational Choice Theory, the study examined how individuals make enrollment decisions by weighing perceived costs, benefits, constraints, and available resources to achieve desired educational outcomes. Semi-structured interviews, an open-ended survey, and archival school performance data were used to explore the perspectives of parents with children enrolled in public high schools within an urban Middle Georgia school district. The findings revealed that parents’ decisions regarding school selection were influenced by a combination of family-related constraints, school-related factors, parents’ interpretations of school quality information, and the perceived costs and benefits of school enrollment options. Financial considerations, transportation access, and the availability of academic support at home emerged as themes related to family constraints influencing school choice decisions, while school resources, teacher quality, academic opportunities, and district-level decision-making emerged as influential school-related factors. The findings concluded that parental school choice decision-making is a multifaceted process shaped by constraints, preferences, information, and perceived opportunities, with parents ultimately seeking the school environment that best supports their child’s individual needs and future success.
Recommended Citation
Scott, Michael Antonio, "Why Stay? A Qualitative Case Study of Parents Who Choose Local Public Schools Over Alternative Options" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 810.
https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/810
