Private vs. Public Schools – Which one is better?

Shawn Rooke

In my research paper I will talk about the debate between public and private schools. I will explain whether the public or private school system is better for your child and why.

 
Many adults believe that private schools provide a better education and environment for children rather than public schools. This isn’t always the case though. A study which was conducted focused on 1,003 students with similar academic achievements before entering high school. Most people believe that private schools are better, but the results showed that the private schools effects disappeared. This article shows that private school students get no advantages over public schools students.

Another study was conducted to see if students in Cleveland, Ohio did better academically if they went to a private school rather than a public school. The study watched 3^rd grade students over an 8 month period in the main subjects such as English, math, science, and reading. The results showed that the private school students didn’t do academically better than the ones who attended public schools. This again proves that kids didn’t do better academically if they went to private schools rather than public schools.

 This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of public and private schools. From the studies conducted, it proves that the public and private schools are quite different from one another. Some of the examples include that private schools spend on average ten percent more per student than a public school would. This goes to show that private schools may spend more money on each student to create a better learning environment.

 This article proves that some kids may be better off going to a public school rather than a private school based on the skill set they have. Many people say that if you have the money, you should go to a private school. This assumption isn’t always correct. The average public school has 17 kids per teacher, while the average private school has 14.5 kids per teacher. This goes to show that some kids may do better while attending a public school rather than a private school, or the other way around.

A personal 5 year project by Leonard Jewler was conducted to see if students had a better chance at getting accepted to a top state university if they went to a private school rather then a public school. Jewler gathered results from students who went to Murch and Lafayette. The results showed that the students who attended top state universities were just as likely to attend a public high school as they were to attend a private high school. This proves that you can still get into top state universities if you get excellent grades, and a high SAT score.    This article relates to my topic because it talks about if top colleges and universities favor private school students over public school students.

Based on my findings, I’ve come to the conclusion that a private school isn’t “better” than a public school, and vice versa. One child may do academically better in a private school than a public school, while another may get higher grades in a public school than a private school. I don’t believe it will make too much of a difference, but I would say that if you have the money, you should try to attend a private school.

Sources

Robelen, E. W. (2007, October 17). Public vs. private study compares outcomes for urban students.. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=4d4d6555-f253-4f5a-ba6a-149f43e97ca6@sessionmgr12&vid=1&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ

 Stanglin, D., & Cohen, W. (1998, March 30). Public vs. private.. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=5fcbbae6-4ead-459b-9c98-4d2aa3522e15@sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ

 Baker, M. (2010, April 11). Breaking down advantages, disadvantages: Data shows perceived inequities in the debate of private vs. public.. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=4bbaa3d5-befe-436c-a055-ea2fcf723061@sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ

 Lawrence, L. (1987, April 27). The pros and cons of public vs. private schools.. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=e448b612-5a34-4fc5-8d73-06e4cf98831d@sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ

Washington Post, T. (2011, November 17). Public vs. private high: Which helps top college chances?. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=10aaf981-3202-4389-8ff8-a8d78d5b9eb1@sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ