The influence of school choice policy on active school commuting: a case study of a middle-sized school district in Oregon

摘要

School choice policy has implications for school travel as it allows students to attend schools farther from their residence than their neighborhood schools. This paper uses a case study from Oregon to investigate how school choice affects parents' school travel decision making and the degree to which school choice affects children's walking or biking to school. The research shows that school choice is associated with lengthened school travel distance and parents' greater willingness to drive their children to school even within a short distance. The research suggests that school choice could hinder the effectiveness of such programs as Safe Routes to School.