There’s been a lot of talk about education in the media recently, particularly the debate surrounding the charter school movement. Education has always had an uneven track record in the United States, with public schools sometimes getting more attention than private ones. The New York Times recently ran a story on the achievement gap in New York City public schools, which compared the test scores of students attending different public schools in that city. In a nutshell, it showed that charter schools perform no better than their public school counterparts on the tests.
What Can We Learn About Education?
This article briefly discusses the difference between public and private education. It compares the learning environment, student-teacher ratios, curriculum, teaching methods, testing, and peer groups. Then it concludes with a look at the reasons why parents consider one option over the other. This article is designed to be an overview of the state of private education in America today, and to introduce prospective parents and educators to some of the top universities that offer private education programs. This article should not be considered as a comprehensive overview of private education, but as a guide to parents and prospective educators who want to find out more about the options they have.
Private schools differ from public schools in many ways. Parents looking to make a significant change to schooling for themselves or their child can profit from this short review. This article is separated into two sections. The first section briefly discusses the main differences between public and private school.
How Are Private Schools Run?
Private schools are run privately, and therefore receive state funds based on the attendance level of those attending classes. The second section briefly discusses the other factors that contribute to the quality of private education. One thing to note is that some states, like Texas, have vouchers that can be used by parents to supplement public educational funding. In addition to Texas, several other states offer tuition assistance to parents who have earned a “parental income tax credit”. Regardless of what your local state offers in the way of aid, the majority of private schools are supported financially by tuition fees, much the same as public schools.
Conclusion
In both cases, private schools are selective in how they admit students and in what form of academic learning (traditional grammar, reading, writing, and math). They are also selective in their curricula. While public schools typically have a wide variety of subjects taught, and a broad range of extracurricular activities, private schools are typically very selective in what they include in their curriculum. They will only accept students who meet their particular learning needs.
Private education is not for everyone. Even so, the benefits it provides far outweigh the drawbacks. Private schools provide children with a unique opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding outside of the classroom. They allow parents to provide a quality education, one that is largely inaccessible to a student attending public school. Parents have the flexibility to set their own educational goals, and have a significant influence on the educational experience. All of these advantages make private education an excellent choice for your child.