Ladd, H., (2003)

‘Comment on Caroline Hoxby: School choice and competition: evidence from the United States.’

Swedish Economic Policy Review 10, pp. 67-76

• Argues that Hoxby is premature in her judgement that school choice can definitely be a positive force in education.
• Ladd is sceptical about choice for 3 main reasons –

(1) Much education is compulsory, making shutting down failing schools difficult

(2) The existence of peer effects possibly leads to cream-skimming

(3) Ladd believes that prices are not an appropriate mechanism for allocating spaces in schools.

• Ladd also states that, for all the sophistication of Hoxby’s empirical work on voucher & charter programs, it would be premature to accept Hoxby’s conclusions without corroboration from other researchers.

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