18/02: Choosing between private and public schools
Yesterday, I wrote a blog entry about educational vouchers which would allow parents to retrieve public school funds and place their children in private schools. However, I haven't discussed the benefits and detriments of attending private schools. Private schools serves students in all grade levels. But choosing between private schools and public schools is a difficult decision that parents often have to make.
On average, private schools offer better educational programs than public schools. Private schools also allow parents to place their schools into religious schools such as Catholic schools and Hebrew schools. Under the 1st amendment of the United States constitution, public schools are not allowed to offer a religious education. Private schools may also offer a specialized curriculum such as a math, science curriculum, or arts curriculum. They may also offer a program not offered at a local school as such as the IB program. However, not all private schools necessarily offer a better education than private schools do. Top schools in the United States such as BASIS Charter in Tuscon, Arizona offer a better education than private schools in the area. Public schools may offer more Advanced Placement courses than private schools in the area.
One major disadvantage of private schools is the high cost of attending. Private schools typically cost between $10,000 and $30,000 a year to attend. In locations with school voucher programs, the costs of attending private schools are somewhat lower. In other locations, most parents either cannot afford to pay a large amount for the private education or prefer to save the money to pay for the student's college education. Also, there are other less expensive alternatives to private schools such as magnet schools and charter schools.
However, since parents pay a tuition in private schools, they are more likely to monitor the performance of the school.
An advantage of private schools is the smaller class size. Studies have shown that students tend to perform better in a smaller classroom setting. When class sizes are small, students tend to get more attention from their teachers and get to participate in more classroom discussions.
Typically, private schools also have better technology and a larger library. A private school may have more desktop and laptop computers per student than a public school.
Students attending private schools also often have more opportunities to participate in diverse extracurricular activities. Less popular sports such as Curling and Judo are more likely to be available at private schools than in public schools. Also, students in private schools usually have more opportunities to go on field trips and listen to high profile guest speakers.
Private schools also generally have a better performing student body than public schools. One of the reasons is because parents less often send low performing students to private schools. Another reason is because private schools have fewer restrictions on expelling low performing and misbehaving students. Thus, students in private schools are more likely to become friends with higher performing students which will generally be a better influence on them. The students will also be exposed to less violence, and other criminal activity.
All of these factors must be considered by parents when choosing between enrolling their kids in public schools and enrolling their kids in private schools.
On average, private schools offer better educational programs than public schools. Private schools also allow parents to place their schools into religious schools such as Catholic schools and Hebrew schools. Under the 1st amendment of the United States constitution, public schools are not allowed to offer a religious education. Private schools may also offer a specialized curriculum such as a math, science curriculum, or arts curriculum. They may also offer a program not offered at a local school as such as the IB program. However, not all private schools necessarily offer a better education than private schools do. Top schools in the United States such as BASIS Charter in Tuscon, Arizona offer a better education than private schools in the area. Public schools may offer more Advanced Placement courses than private schools in the area.
One major disadvantage of private schools is the high cost of attending. Private schools typically cost between $10,000 and $30,000 a year to attend. In locations with school voucher programs, the costs of attending private schools are somewhat lower. In other locations, most parents either cannot afford to pay a large amount for the private education or prefer to save the money to pay for the student's college education. Also, there are other less expensive alternatives to private schools such as magnet schools and charter schools.
However, since parents pay a tuition in private schools, they are more likely to monitor the performance of the school.
An advantage of private schools is the smaller class size. Studies have shown that students tend to perform better in a smaller classroom setting. When class sizes are small, students tend to get more attention from their teachers and get to participate in more classroom discussions.
Typically, private schools also have better technology and a larger library. A private school may have more desktop and laptop computers per student than a public school.
Students attending private schools also often have more opportunities to participate in diverse extracurricular activities. Less popular sports such as Curling and Judo are more likely to be available at private schools than in public schools. Also, students in private schools usually have more opportunities to go on field trips and listen to high profile guest speakers.
Private schools also generally have a better performing student body than public schools. One of the reasons is because parents less often send low performing students to private schools. Another reason is because private schools have fewer restrictions on expelling low performing and misbehaving students. Thus, students in private schools are more likely to become friends with higher performing students which will generally be a better influence on them. The students will also be exposed to less violence, and other criminal activity.
All of these factors must be considered by parents when choosing between enrolling their kids in public schools and enrolling their kids in private schools.
nicholas wrote:
Once again, we must demand complete separation of school and the state must defend the freedom of choice of parents. But what is this freedom of choice?