Segregation by choice? A study of group-specific reasons for school choice

In this paper, patterns of group-specific reasons for school choice and their implications for segregation within the Dutch educational system are examined. The data from more than 10,000 parents are considered in analyses of variance. Parental reasons for school choice are found to relate to religion, social milieu and ethnicity, on the one hand, and the school's denomination, social milieu and ethnic composition, on the other hand. The results show general quality of education to be a leading reason for school choice while group-specific reasons for school choice also exist with Muslim migrant parents, in particular, showing a strong preference for an Islamic education for their children. The results thus suggest a risk of self-segregation among Muslim migrant parents.