This document compares zone-based and home-based assignment plans for school choice in Boston. It shows that a zone-based plan with 11 zones results in unequal choice availability and large discontinuities across zone boundaries. A home-based plan provides more gradual variation in school choice across the city without major boundaries. However, it also results in many areas being highly reliant on out-of-zone schools for higher quality options, especially for non-white students.

1. BPS Assignment Alternatives
Comparing the Zone-Based and Home-Based Plans
External Advisory Committee on School Choice
20 February 2012
Marc Draisen / Tim Reardon
Executive Director / Manager of Planning Research
Metropolitan Area Planning Council

2. Zone-Based Assignment Model
Zone 1 Zone 2
A B C
3+ 2 1 Walk 1 2 3+
miles Zone miles
Tier 1 & 2
Tier 3 & 4
Choices for Family A Choices for Family B Choices for Family C
Tier 1 & 2: 3 schools 2 schools 1 school
Tier 3 & 4: 7 schools 6 schools 4 schools 2

3. Status Quo
Total “Choice Basket”
ranges from 25 to 36
schools
Large discontinuities
across zone boundaries
3

4. 11-Zone Plan
“Choice Basket” ranges
from 3 to 16 schools
More zones =
more boundaries =
more discontinuity
Unequal number of
choices within a zone
4

5. 11-Zone: Quality
Availability of Tier 1 & 2
range:1 to 9 schools
Students near zone
boundaries have greatest
number of choices
5

6. Home-Based (A) Assignment
A B C
3+ 2 1 Walk 1 2 3+
miles Zone miles
+1
more
school
Choices for Family A Choices for Family B Choices for Family C
Tier 1 & 2: 4 schools 4 schools 4 schools
Tier 3 & 4: 4 schools 4 schools 3 schools 6

7. Home-Based/A
“Choice Basket” ranges
from 6 to 15 schools
Variation more gradual
across the city and
related to school density
and/or lack of quality
nearby
No major discontinuities
at zone boundaries
7

8. Home-Based/B
“Choice Basket” ranges
from 9 to 18 schools
Variation more gradual
across the city and
related to school density
No major discontinuities
at zone boundaries
8

9. 11-Zone:
Quality
Tier 1 & 2 availability
range: 1 to 9 schools
Students near zone
boundaries have greatest
number of choices
9

10. Home-Based/A:
Quality
Tier 1 & 2 availability
range: 4 to 6 schools
Gradual variation across
the city; greatest
availability in SW Boston
10

11. Home-Based/B:
Quality
Tier 1 & 2 availability
range: 6 to 9 schools
Gradual variation across
the city; greatest
availability in SW Boston
11

12. Home-Based/A
Walk Zone Reliance
Many areas heavily
reliant on out-of-walk-
zone access to higher
quality schools, especially
Mattapan, South
Boston, Allston/Brighton,
East Boston
12

13. Home-Based/B:
Walk Zone Reliance
As requisite number of
high-quality schools
increases, most areas rely
on out-of-walk-zone
schools for quality
13

14. Walk Zone Access, by Race
Count of Tier 1 and Tier 2 Schools in Walk Zone,
by Race/Ethnicity
100%
96%
90%
77%
80%
70%
Percent of Students
54%
60%
50%
40%
26%
30%
20%
10% 8%
4%
1%
0%
Zero One or more T or More
wo Three or More Four or More Five or More Six or More
Number of Tier 1 or Tier 2 Schools in Walk Zone
White Black Hispanic Asian T or Other R
wo ace Total (labeled)
14

15. Questions
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