Chapter 8: Out Of Bounds: The Implications of Non-Resident Charter Attendees for North Carolina Educational Policy and Finance

North Carolina education funding, legislation, and policy is premised on the assumption that students, housed in local education agencies (LEAs), go to traditional public schools within those same LEAs. School choice policies (charter, home schooling, vouchers, education tax credits), however, are breaking down the link between residential location and school location. This chapter uses data on residential location and schooling enrollment decisions to examine the effectiveness and equity of charter school funding formulas, legislation, and demographic measures used in evaluating charter school policy in the state. We examine three issues: one related to charter school finance, one related to enrollment patterns, and one pertaining to segregation. We find that a significant proportion of charter school students in North Carolina attend a school outside the district where they reside, and this has perhaps unintended policy consequences for state and local governments. Finally, we find this inter-district mobility slightly worsens segregation within districts.