mom'sfolly :
The biggest difference I see between public and private school are parent involvement and student choice. First, in private school, parents have a real, tangible investment in the school, and the success of the students. No one sends their kid to private school and then pays no attention to performance. The parents and students who are involved in private school are there because the believe in the system. Many people who send their kids to public school do not believe in the system, and are not invested. They don't actively participate in their kids' education. Many of them have never set foot in the school. Parents are much more willing to put up with a lack of library, or gym or no band program at a private school. At public school, they expect and get everything.
The second huge factor I see with private vs. public schools is the student body. Private schools have few students who are their because they simply have to be. They don't have to provide for students with disabilities; special programs for autistic, deaf, blind, mentally and physically handicapped students. Public schools must provide for all of these students. They must provide for the kids who don't have books, who don't have food on the table, who are homeless, who don't speak English, and for everyone else. Private schools seldom have to deal with the less than perfect student. The "average" cost per student of $6000 means that a huge portion of the money is spent on special needs, and less is actually left for the "average" student. In private schools, the $4000 tuition is spend only on kids in those classrooms.
A third factor is that private schools are exempt from many of the regulations that bog down public schools. Many of the provisions of NCLB do not apply to private schools. Here in Texas they are exempt from the NCLB testing requirements. So they don't have to spend their school year teaching kids how to pass the standardized tests. There are no ARDs, no 502s, etc. They also have them benefit, often, of smaller classrooms.
Well said!!! And the 2nd paragraph/point is a major reason behind why is costs so much per public school student vs. private school student....
The biggest difference I see between public and private school are parent involvement and student choice. First, in private school, parents have a real, tangible investment in the school, and the success of the students. No one sends their kid to private school and then pays no attention to performance. The parents and students who are involved in private school are there because the believe in the system. Many people who send their kids to public school do not believe in the system, and are not invested. They don't actively participate in their kids' education. Many of them have never set foot in the school. Parents are much more willing to put up with a lack of library, or gym or no band program at a private school. At public school, they expect and get everything.
The second huge factor I see with private vs. public schools is the student body. Private schools have few students who are their because they simply have to be. They don't have to provide for students with disabilities; special programs for autistic, deaf, blind, mentally and physically handicapped students. Public schools must provide for all of these students. They must provide for the kids who don't have books, who don't have food on the table, who are homeless, who don't speak English, and for everyone else. Private schools seldom have to deal with the less than perfect student. The "average" cost per student of $6000 means that a huge portion of the money is spent on special needs, and less is actually left for the "average" student. In private schools, the $4000 tuition is spend only on kids in those classrooms.
A third factor is that private schools are exempt from many of the regulations that bog down public schools. Many of the provisions of NCLB do not apply to private schools. Here in Texas they are exempt from the NCLB testing requirements. So they don't have to spend their school year teaching kids how to pass the standardized tests. There are no ARDs, no 502s, etc. They also have them benefit, often, of smaller classrooms.
Well said!!! And the 2nd paragraph/point is a major reason behind why is costs so much per public school student vs. private school student....
