The private school versus public school issue is a conundrum for many parents. In a study released today by the Center on Education Policy, substantial doubt was cast upon decades of research on the advantages of private schools. “Contrary to popular belief, we can find no evidence that private schools actually increase student performance,” said Jack Jennings, the center’s president and a former House staffer, in a press release. “Instead, it appears that private schools simply have higher percentages of students who would perform well in any environment based on their previous performance and background.”
To view the full report and other materials pertaining to it, click here.
This study, based on an analysis of the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988-2000, finds that students attending independent private high schools, most types of parochial high schools, and public high schools of choice performed no better on achievement tests in math, reading, science, and history than students attending traditional public high schools. In addition, students attending any type of private high school were no more likely to attend college than those attending traditional public high schools. The report also finds that young adults who had attended any type of private high school were no more likely to enjoy job satisfaction or to be engaged in civic activities at age 26 than those who had attended traditional public high schools.
“Parents assume that private schools will improve the academic preparation of their children,” said Harold Wenglinsky, author of the study. “But the higher performance at private schools is more likely a reflection of the collective resources and support that these parents bring to the school than to factors intrinsic to the school setting.”
This report does note two exceptions to its main findings. First, it finds that students who attended independent private high schools had higher SAT scores than public school students, gaining an advantage in efforts to enroll at elite colleges. Second, the report indicates that students attending some private Catholic schools run by holy orders (such as Jesuit schools) instead of a diocese did see some positive academic effects. However, there are very few of these schools nationwide, as most Catholic schools are operated by their diocese.
The Center on Education Policy is a national, independent advocate for public education and for more effective public schools. The Center helps Americans better understand the role of public education in a democracy and the need to improve the academic quality of public schools. The Center does not represent any special interests. Instead, it tries to help citizens make sense of the conflicting opinions and perceptions about public education and create the conditions that will lead to better public schools.
