What’s so great about private schools?

New research from the Department of Education indicates that children in public schools generally performed as well or better in reading and mathematics than comparable children in private schools. You’d think this would be big news, since it challenges conventional wisdom. Public Agenda research has shown that the public’s view of the quality of public schools compared to private schools has seen some improvement, but pluralities continue to perceive private schools as having higher academic standards (See page 11 of Where We Are Now).  Large percentages say they just don't know whether local public schools or private schools are doing a better job academically.

But it doesn’t seem that the Department of Education wants to aggressively challenge the notion that private schools are more effective than public schools. The Department has officially labeled its own report “of modest utility” and released it on a mid-summer Friday afternoon without a news conference or comment from Education Secretary Margaret Spellings – a sure way to receive absolutely no media attention whatsoever. 

Thankfully, The New York Times was paying attention. In a great piece by Diana Jean Schemo, the Times calls into question the DOE’s motives – implying that it cares more about using No Child Left Behind mechanisms that move kids out of public schools and into private ones than it does about the reality of the quality of education those kids might receive. The research also shows that students in conservative Christian schools lagged significantly behind their counterparts in public schools on eight-grade math.

In the Times coverage, the NEA’s Reg Weaver (who, of course, has his own agenda) asserts that if the results had been favorable to private schools, “there would have been press conferences and glowing statements about private schools.”

A DOE official insisted that the report was not released in a way that was designed to have it go unnoticed, saying the DOE typically gives senior officials two weeks’ notice before releasing reports and that “The report was ready two weeks ago Friday… and so today was the first day, according to longstanding practice, that it could come out.”

It is true, of course, that people have favorable dispositions toward private schools for reasons other than academic quality. Some think the discipline is better for children. Some may choose to have their children with those of other like-minded families so they aren’t subject to “bad influences.”

Regardless, the research comparing public and private schools on academic achievement certainly warrants much more discussion and examination. I’m glad the New York Times is on the case.

Comments

[Chris Arnold]

A great education is not based solely on test scores. Although private and public school students' average around the same scores on math test does not make any conclusion on overall education. I attended both private and public school and it is very easy to say private school is better. It is the enviornment that makes a difference. Being around successful students and families on a regular basis makes a big difference. Private schools prepare students better for the academic stresses of college and the real world. It is clear. I am not degrading public schools because the one that
I attended did provide a good education. A lot is up to the students in public schools. The atmosphere is not as monitored, and it forces you to take matters into your own hands.