Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2024

DOI

10.1080/01442872.2024.2432993

Publication Title

Policy Studies

Abstract

The global expansion of choice programs fuels debates about the equity potential of school choice policies and mechanisms. In 2014, Washington, D.C. pioneered a citywide lottery and enrollment system to match students with preferred institutions and distribute access to seats in high-demand schools. While unified lottery and enrollment systems impact a vast number of students and influence educational opportunities across continents, little evidence exists on the efficacy of these systems or the link between centralized lotteries and changes in school composition or segregation. Using longitudinal data and an interrupted time series analysis, this study examines the relationship between D.C.’s centralized lottery system and student distribution. We find unchanged desegregation trends systemwide and annual increases in segregation in schools located in wealthier and lower-income wards after the adoption of the lottery system. We raise questions about the way school-designated preference structures give the appearance of numerous school options for families, while keeping access to meaningful choices superficial. Across international contexts, these systems may aid desegregation efforts and enhance equity by randomizing school matches, preventing cream skimming, and offering a baseline of school information, but additional research is needed to better understand their substantive outcomes.

Rights

Users are reminded that the article is protected by copyright and reuse is restricted to non-commercial and no derivative uses. For permission to reuse an article, please follow Taylor & Francis’s Process for Requesting Permission.

Comments

This is an Accepted Version of the following article: 

Saltmarsh, J., & Lagos, F. (2026). Segregation and school composition in Washington, DC following the implementation of a unified school lottery. Policy Studies, 47(1), 133-159. https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2024.2432993

ORCID

0000-0001-5580-2201 (Saltmarsh)

Original Publication Citation

Saltmarsh, J., & Lagos, F. (2024). Segregation and school composition in Washington, D.C. following the implementation of a unified school lottery. Policy Studies. Accepted manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2024.2432993

Download

Share

COinS