Public Vs. Private School Education

There is no doubt that compared with much of the rest of the world, American education is losing its standing. " American public schools were once ranked with the world's best. No longer. We have lost our edge, and that poses dire consequences for our country's future. Evidence from international comparisons is consistent and alarming. Data show that American schools don't begin to approach the standards of the rest of the developed world" (Murphy 641). The fact that public education is under-funded understaffed, and often the pre-school as well as elementary school pupils are housed in poor conditions may be one reason for the rise of private and so-called "Charter" schools. There have been many reasons for the growth of private and "charter" schools over and above the disillusionment by parents about the quality of education they are getting. Another reason is, whether we like it or think it is fair or not, the decision by some parents to withdraw their children from schools that have required long hours of busing and created a multi-racial school community.

There are many plausible reasons why people are concerned about America's education priorities, and the fact that the Bush Administrations' efforts to "Leave No Child Behind" is hardly a success story. However, it is fair to dispel one myth namely that teachers are underpaid. This usually comes from teacher's unions, of course. Here is a fact worth considering: "The average teacher's salary does seem modest at first glance: about $44,600 in 2002 for all teachers. But when we take an accurate account of what teachers are paid for their labor and compare it to what workers of similar skill levels in similar professions are paid, we find that teachers are not shortchanged at all" (Greene 17).

On the subject of money, Greene (2006) also explodes thbe myth that private schools are successful because they have more money. The fact seems to be that pupils either work harder on their own or are given greater encouragement by teachers: "There is no question that, on average, students in private schools demonstrate significantly greater achievement. For example, on the eighth-grade reading portion of the NAEP test, 53 percent of private school students perform at or above the level defined as "proficient," compared to only 30 percent of public school students. In eighth-grade math, only 27 percent of public-school students perform at the "proficient" level, compared to 43 percent of private-school students. Interestingly, twice as many private-school eighth graders go on to earn a bachelor's degree as their public-school counterparts, in percentage terms" (Greene 20). With the cost of private schools soaring, one problem tends to be that we are creating a wider gap between the Haves (whose parents can afford private schools) and the Have-Nots, confined to regular public schools which may cause learning or even emotional problems (given the mixture of the school population).

Somewhere in between lie the so-called Charter schools, often privately run but also publicly funded. Some of these charter schools operate as a haven for "special needs" children. "Yet most charter schools do not cater to children requiring special education, and by many accounts, those schools have a mixed record in responding to such youngsters' needs" (Hendrie 58). One problem with charter schools is: who regulates them> Arizona, for example has over 100 charter schools and there is a dearth of information about how children are doing compared with those in "regular" or private schools.

However, there is no doubt that the idea of charter schools as an alternative to "public" education is growing, especially with the notion that now "school vouchers" will make it possible for the poor to send their children to privately funded or state chartered schools in the hope of giving them a better education. "With close to 1 million students enrolled nationwide and more than 3,400 contracts between charter schools and their government authorizers, charter schools may be the most common example of school choice. The number of both for-profit and nonprofit charter schools continues to increase. In 2005 there were at least 500 public schools being operated by 51 for-profit management companies in 28 states. There has also been substantially more specialization and branding of nonprofit charter schools" (Snell 49).

Now there is another type of so-called Charter School: "Each year, tens of thousands of students drop out. Most still yearn for diplomas. That's where the opportunity comes for entrepreneurs like John and Joan Hall, former teachers from Hollywood who have built a lucrative but controversial chain of schools for dropouts. In the Halls' two charter school operations--the nonprofit Options for Youth and the for-profit Opportunities for Learning--students work independently, completing assignments at home and typically meeting with a teacher just two hours a week" (Rubin and Cleeland A1).

It may be unfair to compare private versus public schools one on one, because the student bodies are different. Unfair as this sounds it is a truth in America where the wealthier (and those supported by public funds) can seek "better" schools. There is a trend toward equalizing public school education, however. San Francisco is seen as a good example: "San Francisco is one of a handful of public school districts across the nation that mimics an education market. In these districts, the money follows the children, parents have the right to choose their children's public schools and leave under-performing schools, and school principals and communities have the right to spend their school budgets in ways that make their schools more desirable to parents. As a result, the number of schools parents view as 'acceptable' has increased greatly in the last several years" (Snell 24). Snell indicates that the figures are moving up for scores: "San Francisco's system produced significant academic success for the children in the district. Miraloma Elementary, the school (one mother) would not consider for her children in 1996, has seen test scores for second-graders in English language improve from 10 percent proficient in 2003 to 47 percent proficient in 2005" (Snell 27). In other words, there are now massive efforts to close that gap between private and public schools. And, where this gap has already been closing, pupil scores have shown that progress

f course, one problem that public schools have is not merely the ones with antisocial behavior, the jock versus the Goth, which resulted in Columbine and other massacres in public schools, but there still is a climate in public schools,, even at the elementary level, where different ethnic backgrounds, races, religions and even doing well in class can cause problems. So, in some urban areas, public school administrators are mimicking private schools by having students wear uniforms. Strange as it may seem to some, the idea is not only catching on, but it is working. "Since the 1990s, the practice of having public school students wear uniforms--like their private school peers--has been credited with some amazing results. School uniforms, proponents have said, can lead to improved discipline and classroom behavior, increased school attendance, respect for teachers, better school performance, higher student self-esteem and confidence, lower clothing costs, promotion of group spirit, reduction in social stratification, and lower rates of violence and crime" (Konheim-Kalkstein 24).

In a discussion of private versus public schools, there is another important element to consider: the parochial school. For generations, there have been Catholic parochial schools, funded by local dioceses and charging, often, only what a parishioner can afford. Over the years, these schools have been recognized for superior educational achievements, despite some occasional problems with overzealous punishment meted out, and, of course, the occasional sexual problems with priests. However, there is now another sort of religious school growing in popularity, the Jewish school: "A growing number of parents choose Jewish day schools for their children. They find that the schools provide a warm and caring Jewish environment, children receive a firm grounding in Jewish knowledge and practice, together with a love of Israel...the schools have nationally recognized high standards in secular education and all maintained schools teach the entire National Curriculum" (Kennedy 3).

There are many web sites on the intern et which offer a sort of guide to parents cxoncerned about where to place their children and to try to get some idea whether a public private school best serves their needs. Here is what one web site suggests: "hen it comes to deciding where to place your child, however, the only way to do it properly is to "test-drive" a school (and perhaps even specific teachers, if that's possible) much like you would a new car.... Call the school and ask to come for a tour and class visit. Once there you should be able to find out about class size, the types of resources available and the programs offered for advanced and remedial children. You may even want to attend a few PTA meetings, chili suppers or school fairs to get a feel for the children, teachers and parents. (A noted educator) notes that some children will do well no matter the school and circumstance, but for the majority of children it boils down to whether the child and the teacher get along. So whenever possible try to meet the teacher and get a feel not only for his/her curriculum but also personality, discipline style and philosophy" (Clayton 3).

As one looks at the difference and the similarities between private and public education, statistics and opinions vary all over the lot. It is not class size, quality of teachers, or the makeup of the student body by themselves that have caused a fallback in overall education achievements in the U.S. One cannot help but editorialize a bit and blame, in many cases, the lack of parent involvement. We live in difficult economic times where we have too many single parent families or two-=wage earner families who cannot keep a close watch on how their children are progressing, sometimes until it is too late. It is beginning to get too late now.

REFERENCES:

Clayton, Virginia: "School Debate:" private vs. public" MSNBC Online www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8743221/

Greene, Tom: "Education Myths: Debunking the fictions that obstruct school reform" American Enterprise, July/August 2006 vol 17, no. 6

Hendrie, Julie: "Charters: An Uneasy Fit" Education Week Jan. 8, 2004

Kennedy, Robert: "A Jewish Education" privateschool.about.com/od/jewishschools/qt/jewished.htm

Konheim-Kalkstein, Yasmine L.: "A Uniform Look: When students dress alike, proponents say, the school climate may be improved" American School Board Journal, Aug, 2006, vol. 193 no.8

Murphy, John: "What's In? What's Out?" Phi Delta Kappan, April, 1993

Rubin, Joel and Cleeland, Nancy: "The Vanishing Class-:Failing Students Spell Profit for Some Schools" Los Angeles Times, Feb. 4, 2006

Snell, Lisa: "The Agony of American Education" Reason, April, 2006, vol. 37, no. 11

Snell, Lisa: "Let A Thousand Choices Boom: Debating the future of education reform" Reason, Dec. 2005, vol. 37, no 7