School Choice
New Orleans is the only city in the country that has essentially eliminated attendance zones that determine who enrolls where. Our research focuses on the city’s OneApp system of school choice, how this shapes the school system, and what the system tells us about what families are looking for.
What Schools Do Families Want (And Why)?
A policy brief and technical report of ERA-New Orleans' paper on school choice post-Katrina by Douglas N. Harris and Matthew F. Larsen
Publication
Traveling Farther To School, But Choice Was In New Orleans Before
Attendance zones were abolished after Hurricane Katrina, creating a wide open door to parental school choice. This article examines the effect of choice on how far students are traveling to school and some of the reasons why parents "go the distance."
News
How Families Choose Schools
Friday, June 19, 2015
2:00–3:45 pm
Sheraton Hotel
Event
Publications
The New Orleans Post-Katrina School Reforms: 20 Years of Lessons
Jun 2, 2025 | by Douglas Harris, Jamie Carroll
A New First: From State Takeover to the Nation's First All-Charter, District-Governed School System in New Orleans
Jul 26, 2023 | by Jamie M. Carroll, Douglas Harris, Joshua Childs, Hanora Tracy, Huriya Jabbar, Julie Marsh, Molly Shields, Kait Ogden
How Does the New Orleans School Placement Algorithm Work, and What Is the Best Strategy for Getting a Preferred Placement?
Jul 26, 2023 | by Jon Valant
See more Publications on School Choice
Past Events
How Long Does It Take New Orleans Students to Get to School?
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
12:00–1:00 pm
Conference Room 760
Brown Bag Series
See event details…
Do Centralized Enrollment Systems Give Families What They Want?
Thursday, February 15, 2018
11:00am–12:00 pm
Conference Room 760
Brown Bag Series
See event details…
The Future of School Vouchers in Louisiana
Monday, February 22, 2016
4:00–6:30 pm
Capitol Park Welcome Center, Baton Rouge, LA
Webcasts
See event details…
See more Events on School Choice
News
Featured Policy Brief: "How Has the Louisiana Scholarship Program Affected Students? A Comprehensive Summary of Effects after Three Years"
Three studies examine the effects of the Louisiana Scholarship Program, a statewide school voucher initiative. Read more…
June 26, 2017
New Voucher Studies to be Released on Monday
We'll be releasing a policy brief that offers new evidence on school vouchers’ impact on students and schools after three years. Read more…
June 23, 2017
New Report Released: "Is There Choice in School Choice?"
Education Research Alliance for New Orleans releases report on schooling options in New Orleans. Read more…
April 20, 2016