School segregation, residential patterns, and the role of school choice in an egalitarian system. The case of Oslo, Norway

This study examines school segregation in Oslo, a city with an egalitarian education system but significant residential divides. Using individual-level data from 2008–2009 and 2018–2019, it analyses how school choice shapes segregation in primary public schools. While residential patterns remain the key driver, school choice introduces new complexities. At the urban scale, school segregation decreases due to higher levels of school choice among families with immigrant backgrounds. However, at the neighbourhood level, many schools affected by opting out see increased ethnic and socioeconomic segregation.