How do Marginalized Families Engage in School Choice in Inequitable Urban Landscapes? - A Critical Geographic Approach

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag

The normalization of school choice in education systems is widely claimed to expand schooling options, especially for families unable to relocate into affluent neighborhoods with “better” schools. Yet the extent to which school choice policy truly delivers more options for marginalized families remains insufficiently understood. This study examines K-12 school choice practices and mobility patterns of marginalized urban families in Vancouver, using an innovative mixed-methods critical geographic approach and a phenomenological exploration of families’ choices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

School choice and education marketization

Rationale and research gap

Abstract

Keywords

SPECIAL ISSUE School Diversification and Dilemmas across Canada in an Era of Education Marketization and Neoliberalization education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University | Volume 25 Number 42 | April 24, 2017 | ISSN 1068-2341 | | --- | --- | --- | How do Marginalized Families Engage in School Choice in Inequitable Urban Landscapes? A Critical Geographic Approach Ee-Seul Yoon University of Manitoba Canada & Christopher Lubienski Indiana University United States Citation: Yoon, E., & Lubienski, C. (2017) . How do marginalized families engage in school choice in inequitable urban landscapes? A critical geographic approach. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 25 (42). [http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/2655](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/2655 This)[ This](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/2655 This) article is part of the Special Issue on School Diversification and Dilemmas Across Canada, guest edited by Ee-Seul Yoon & Christopher Lubienski. Abstract: The normalization of school choice in the education system is purported to provide more schooling options for all families, particularly those who do not have the means to move into affluent areas with ‘better’ schools. Nonetheless, it is still unclear to what extent the policy of school choice has been effective in achieving the goal of providing more choices for marginalized families. This paper aims to fill this gap by examining the K-12 school choice practices and patterns of marginalized urban families, with a focus on their spatial positions and dispositions, in what is arguably one of the most rapidly diversifying and polarizing cities in the world, Vancouver, Canada. An innovative mixed-methods critical geographic approach is used to better understand the families’ school choice participation and related mobility patterns geospatially, while exploring their choices phenomenologically. Keywords: inequality; school choice; urban schools; poverty; race; space ¿Cómo involucrar a las familias marginadas en la opción de escuela en paisajes urbanos desigual? Un enfoque crítico geográfica Resumen: La normalización de la elección de escuela en los sistemas educativos supuestamente proporciona más opciones de enseñanza para todas las familias, especialmente aquellos que no tienen los medios para entrar en las zonas ricas con 'mejores' escuelas. Sin embargo, todavía no está claro hasta qué punto la elección de la política de la escuela ha logrado el objetivo de proporcionar más opciones está marginada familias. El presente trabajo pretende llenar estevacío mediante el examen de los K-12 prácticas de elección de escuela y los patrones de las familias urbanas marginadas, con un enfoque en sus posiciones y disposiciones espaciales, en Vancouver, Canadá . Un innovador enfoque de métodos mixtos es fundamental utilizado geográfica para entender mejor la participación escolar elección de las familias y los patrones demovilidad relacionados geo-espacialmente, mientras que la exploración de sus opciones de vista fenomenológico. Palabras-clave: la desigualdad; las opciones de escuela; escuelas urbanas; su pobreza; raza; espacio Como as familias marginalizadas dentro de paisajes urbanas desiguales envolvidos en laescolha de la escuela? Uma abordagem crítica geográfica Resumo: La normalización de la escolha en el sistema de educación es supuesta para proporcionar más opciones para todas las familias, especialmente aquellos que no tienen los medios para entrar en las zonas ricas con 'mejores' escuelas. Sin embargo, todavía no está claro en qué medida las familias elección de la política de la escuela ha sido eficaz para alcanzar elobjetivo de proporcionar más opçãos se marginadas. El presente trabajo pretende llenar estevacío mediante el examen de los K-12 prácticas de elección de escuela y los patrones de las familias urbanas marginadas, con un enfoque en sus posic

FAQs

What is the central question of the paper?

How marginalized families engage in school choice within inequitable urban landscapes, using a critical geographic approach.

What gap does the paper aim to address?

Uncertainty about how effective school choice policy is at providing more choices for marginalized families.

What methods does the study use?

An innovative mixed-methods critical geographic approach to understand participation and related mobility patterns, complemented by a phenomenological exploration of choices.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag