Markets in Education and School Segregation: Paths of Problematization and Reform

Over the last years, a broad consensus has been forged regarding the negative impact of market policies on educational equity, especially in terms of school segregation. The preoccupation with the equity effects of educational markets has penetrated the policy agenda of different countries, although it has not crystallized in a univocal reform approach. Building on the results of a systematic literature review, this chapter examines how educational markets have been problematized in relation to the phenomenon of school segregation, as well as what policy and regulatory options have been adopted in different education systems to address them. The findings show that, while the problematization of educational markets is generally motivated by their impact on educational inequalities, the specific axes of inequality and the factors and actors triggering problematization processes vary greatly across contexts. The chapter also finds that educational reforms aimed at mitigating the role of markets on segregation tend to focus on three main regulatory areas – namely, school funding, school choice and admissions, and the authorization of educational providers. Finally, the chapter reflects on the political and implementation challenges, among other limitations, of these regulatory reforms, concluding that their effectiveness in countering market forces remain still an open question.