A discrete choice experiment application to school choice in the Basque Country

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to analyse which school characteristics parents prefer in the Basque Country when choosing a primary school for their children, by carrying out a Discrete Choice Experiment applied to parental school choice. After conducting the experiment and gathering the answers, responses have been analysed using a Random Parameter Logit. Results indicate that, in stark contrast to other countries and regions, the most relevant school characteristics are the main language of instruction and religious orientation of the school. The main contribution of this work is the quantification, in monetary units, of the parental preferences regarding school characteristics in the Basque Country; as well as the first application of this methodology to School Choice in Spain.