Spatio-temporal dynamics of school choice: An analysis of basic school enrolment data

Abstract

School choice has long been a subject of academic interest across various scientific disciplines. However, most research focuses on parental preferences, factors influencing school choice, and the consequences of these choices, such as various forms of segregation. The developmental perspective of school choice in time and space, however, is often neglected. This paper therefore focuses on the spatio-temporal dynamics of basic school (ISCED 1 and 2) enrolment data, which represent a real manifestation of parental choice. Data from the enrolment records of all basic schools in Czechia (n ≈ 3,600) for the period 2015–2024 were used. The analysis was conducted nomothetically, through descriptive statistics of enrolment data at various levels of measurement and their subsequent graphical and cartographic visualisation. The data obtained show that school choice dynamics in Czechia has been increasing over the last decade. The increase was demonstrated at both levels – national and regional – and in all monitored structural indicators of schools (population size of the school municipality, school capacity, and school operator). School choice should therefore be perceived as a dynamic process in terms of time and space, and monitoring enrolment behaviour is useful not only for educational planning.