Before 1992, less than one percent of students in Sweden attended a private school. Each public school in Sweden had an attendance zone and typically was the only alternative for students who lived in the school's attendance zone.
But, in 1992 Sweden made a significant change in its K-12 education system by implementing universal school choice. Since that time, taxpayer funds have followed each Swedish student to the public or independent school chosen by their parents. Initially, independent schools received less funding per student than public schools. However, since 1997 public and independent schools have been funded on an equal basis.
A new and careful study of the effect of this change to universal school choice found that competition improved educational outcomes for students in public and in independent schools. This result is a common research finding. But, what makes this study interesting is that it found:
- The benefits of competition for students did not show up definitively until ten years after universal school choice was implemented.
- Where there were more independent schools available, there were greater benefits for students -- both public and independent school students. More choice led to more benefits for students. Less choice led to fewer benefits for students.
- The improved student achievement was not a result of increased taxpayer funding; student outcomes improved because of an increase in school productivity.
Perhaps it took so long for school productivity to increase in Sweden because they had almost no tradition or infrastructure of independent schooling.
A Forbes magazine story on the research can be found here:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/modeledbehavior/2012/12/03/lessons-on-school-choice-from-sweden/
The full study on Sweden can be found here: