Zoning is a major frustration to NZ parents, report finds

Parents want more direct control of their children's schooling with zoning identified as a major frustration, a report released in May shows.

The report by the Maxim Institute, A Snapshot of what Parents think of Schooling in New Zealand, is based on independent qualitative research and records what parents think of different aspects of the schooling system.

When parents were asked what they considered when deciding on a school, the biggest issue was zoning.

One of the greatest concerns among the survey's eight discussion groups and eight interviewees was the imposition of school zones and the negative effects these can have on learning outcomes. Only 13 of the 54 parents made no comment about zoning.

Participants were frustrated and "slightly embittered" because they could not meet their parental obligations regarding child placement in schools.

"They felt marginalised and frustrated because the freedom to decide where their children should be schooled had been curtailed, even removed, by the Labour government's introduction of school zones in 2000," the report says.

Some parents were resigned to the situation; others were trying to circumvent the zoning requirements so that they could still place their children in a school of their choice.

Some felt micro-managed and frustrated by the limitation of their choices. Some said zoning was inherently unfair because it favoured those with money.

A Christchurch participant noted that zoning "brings in a bigger element of 'you have the money, you have the choices'".

Maxim's Centre for Education director Paul Henderson said the report showed that the Ministry of Education should look again at the accessibility of schooling for all students.

"There is an issue of access and justice here. Parents recognise that there is something unfair when only a small proportion of parents can afford to choose where their children are educated."

Mr Henderson says the report showed that if there were a feasible alternative to zoning, parents would welcome it.

The Maxim report is at this web page.

An Education Forum briefing paper on enrolment schemes is at this web page.