title: Can school choice improve more than just academic achievement? An analysis of post-Katrina New Orleans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent evaluations of school choice school reforms have focused on improving academic achievement but have ignored associations with adolescent health and the risk of interpersonal violence. The innovative school choice model implemented in post-Katrina New Orleans provides a unique opportunity to examine these effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a sample of approximately 1700 students from the 2009 School Health Connection Survey, the relationships between the type of school attended and depression, suicide planning, absences attributable to fears for personal safety, and threats of violence at school are examined. Multivariate regression analysis adjusting for self-selection into the type of school attended-a city-run high-performing school, a state-run failing school, or an independent charter school-estimates the effects of school type on student health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to students at state-run schools, students who choose to attend city-run schools are less likely to plan for suicide or to miss school because they are afraid of becoming victims of violence. These beneficial effects tend to be larger for students traveling from higher violence neighborhoods. The effects for charter schools are similar but less robust.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local school jurisdictions that implement reforms allowing adolescents and their families greater freedom in school choice may also improve adolescent health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Health Systems and Development, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, Ste. 2200, New Orleans, LA 70112.
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferrell
authors.forename: Marsha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broussard
authors.forename: Lisanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chrestman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D000367:Age Factors; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D055820:New Orleans; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology
keywords: adolescent suicide; school choice; violence