Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review | DOI: 10.13060/csr.2025.001

What Do They Really Want? Limitations of Research Investigating Parents’ Demands for Quality Compulsory Education

Radka Smith Slámová ORCID..., Jana Straková ORCID...
Pedagogická fakulta UK, Praha

The study analyses the challenges in identifying parents’ preferences regarding quality compulsory education for their children. The first part presents findings from two quantitative surveys conducted on representative samples (N = 961, 1,739) of parents of preschool and school-aged children. Based on an analysis of data obtained from 26 in-depth interviews with middle-class parents, the study then illustrates four key factors that need to be considered when determining parents’ educational preferences and formulating systemic measures. The results show that: (1) Parents interpret broadly defined criteria in different ways; (2) Parents’ stated preferences often do not correspond with their decision-making; (3) Some key criteria are either downplayed by parents or understood differently than by researchers; (4) School choice is also influenced by irrational processes and criteria unrelated to instruction. The discussion highlights research gaps in understanding the educational preferences of Czech parents and summarises the main lessons for the academic community and policymakers.

Keywords:
school choice, school preferences, parental decision-making, educational inequalities, compulsory education

Received: August 18, 2024; Revised: February 1, 2025; Accepted: February 3, 2025; Prepublished online: May 14, 2025 

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