Public Policy Toward Private Schools: A Focus on Parental Choice

Author(s):  
Mary-Michelle Upson Hirschoff

Not since the 1920s has our society faced so much controversy about public policy toward private elementary and secondary schools. Then, the major issue was whether private schools should be allowed to exist as alternatives to public schools. That issue was resolved in Pierce v. Society of Sisters, in which the Supreme Court upheld the right of parents to choose private schooling, and thus foreclosed a public monopoly. Today, our mixed system of private and public elementary and secondary education confronts increasing pressures for both fiscal and regulatory change. Most prominent in public debate are proposals for tuition tax credits and voucher systems and challenges to government regulation of private school teacher qualifications, curriculum, and admission practices (especially as the latter affect racial segregation). Two major public policy issues have replaced the issue of whether private schooling should exist at all: (1) To what extent should government encourage or discourage the choice of private schooling, that is, what balance between public and private schooling should government try to achieve? (2) What differences between private and public schooling should government promote or prohibit? Despite this change in emphasis, todays debates echo those of the 1920s in many respects. Just as the proponents of the 1920s laws restricting private schools feared that those schools would harm efforts to Americanize the children of immigrants, some argue today that private schools exacerbate social, economic, racial, religious, and ethnic divisions within the society and that aiding private schools will increase such undesirable effects. Now, as then, advocates of private schooling rest their arguments on the rights of parents to direct their children's education and on the benefits to society of diversity in schooling. Most dispute claims that private schools increase social stratification to any greater degree than do the public schools or that they are less effective in creating good citizens. One of the major factors that distinguishes today's debates from those of the 1920s is the greater attention paid to the impact of private schools on the quality of education.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazen Mahmood ◽  
◽  
Saif Younis ◽  
Tala Saeed ◽  
◽  
...  

This research aims to Identify the Total Quality Management standards and the ability to implementation theses standards in educational institutes of Kurdistan region (KRG) in Public and Private schools by ask a question : what is the reality of implementation the standards of Total Quality Management (TQM) in educational institutes of (KRG). The study take 100 sample (Sava private school and AL-Khouwa public school) and use the excel program for analysis the data and the result showed there are difference in implementation the standards between the Public schools and Private schools. The study recommended the need of sharing and disseminating concepts of implementation the standards of (TQM) between the workers in the educational sector.


2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-89
Author(s):  
Michelle A. Purdy

The school desegregation narrative often references historically white public schools as sites of massive resistance and historically white private schools as segregationist academies. Yet some historically white elite private schools or independent schools, such as The Westminster Schools (plural in name only), established in 1951 in Atlanta, Georgia, chose to desegregate. Such elite institutions, which have served as one catalyst for the creation and maintenance of social and cultural capital, became more accessible after Brown v. Board of Education through a combination of private and public decisions galvanized by larger social, political, and federal forces. Westminster's 1965 decision to consider all applicants regardless of race was emblematic of the pragmatic desegregation politics of Atlanta's city leaders during the civil rights movement and a national independent school agenda focused on recruiting black students. Drawing on institutional, local, regional, and national archival records and publications, this article examines the import of schools like Westminster to civic and business leaders, to the politics of race and desegregation occurring in large cities, and to the range of educational opportunities available in metropolitan areas. This examination yields an analysis of the leadership and politics of a southern historically white elite private school that black students desegregated in 1961.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-60
Author(s):  
Marjan Šimenc ◽  
Mojca Štraus

The article analyses the (third) Coleman Report on private and public schools. The report scrutinises the relationship between private and public schools and shows that private school students show better academic achievement. Coleman concluded that these findings provided a strong argument in favour of public financial support for private schools. However,he identified a number of school characteristics that he believed to be related to student achievement. According to his analysis, these characteristics were not limited to privateschools; public schools exhibiting the same characteristics also had good results. Coleman interpreted the available data in favour of financial aid to private schools, although this was not the only possible interpretation. An alternative conclusion would have been to encourage these characteristics in public schools. Why did Coleman disregard this possibility? Why did he deviate from his usual scientific rigour? The present article suggests that there appear to be two reasons for the narrow interpretation of the relationship between public and private schools in Coleman’s third report. The first lies in Coleman’s notion of contemporary society as a constructed system in which every individual actor holds a place in the structure and requires incentives in order to act to the benefit of society. In the case of education, the goal of the institution is to ensure the high cognitive achievement of students, and the incentive is related to choice and competition. The second reason is related to Coleman’s vision of sociology as a discipline aiding the construction of an effective society.


1988 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 332-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imani Perry

Which are more effective, private or public schools? This is an age-old question to which many educators and researchers have offered their answers. In this compelling essay, Imani Perry, a fifteen-year-old high school student, offers an interpretation of the differences between her private and public school experience that adds new insight into this question. Perry provides rich examples to support her main argument that, in her experience, public schools deny students their identity as intellectual beings, and repress the intellectual development of minority students in particular. Private schools, on the other hand, are culturally isolating for minority students. Perry does not advocate the abandonment of public for private school, but offers a clear analysis of those aspects of public schools that must be changed if public schools are to serve the needs of minority students. This is an analysis that could only come from a minority student who has experienced both worlds.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Cohen-Woods ◽  
Rachel Laattoe

Background: School uniform options such as skirts and dresses can impact physical activity and psychological wellbeing of girls. Restrictions that exclude trousers/pants or shorts as uniform options for girls can promote inequality in comfort and engagement in school activities. The South Australian Department of Education and Child Development (DECD) School Dress Code Procedure mandates school dress codes provide flexible uniform options with the right to choice, regardless of gender. This review examines public school adherence to DECD guidelines, and compares girls’ uniform options between public and private school sectors.Method: The proportion of girls shorts and pants/trouser options provided in school uniform policies collated in 2018 were compared across 486 public and 193 private primary, secondary, and combined schools within South Australia. Policies were grouped based on the choice they provided girls for shorts, and separately for trousers/pants. The groups were gender specific choice/open choice, unisex choice, restricted choice, or no option.Results: Overall, 98.6% of public and 26.4% of private school policies included shorts as a uniform option for girls. Of these schools, about nine in ten public, and just over half private, policies listed gender-specific or open choice shorts options. All public primary and high schools, and a majority of combined schools (98.8%) provided girls pants/trouser options, with 93.4% providing gender specific or open choices. This compared to 34.2% of private school policies including girls’ pants options. In total less than 1.0% of public, and 45.5% to 66.7% of private schools provide no opportunity for girls to wear shorts every day. Similarly, 56.0% of private schools do not provide any trouser/pant option.Conclusion: The results highlight a small proportion of public schools fail to follow mandated uniform policy procedures set by the DECD, specifically in context of shorts. Moreover, this report clearly demonstrates the discrepancy in girls’ uniform options between the public and private school sectors. We present suggestions and recommendations with the aim to improve current policy, as well as a need to advance adherence to policy and South Australian anti-discrimination legislation in public and particularly private schools.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Nevin Gündüz ◽  
Tuğçe Taşpinar ◽  
Nurdan Demiş

The purpose of this research is to determine what the game means from the perspectives of children studying at public and private schools. Four questionnaires were applied to all the third grade parents of four schools; two public and two private schools in Ankara, and questionnaires were completed and sent back by 212 parents. A total of 32 volunteer students from four schools, 4 girls and 4 boys, who were determined according to the results of parents surveys consist of our student research group. Qualitative data were obtained by semi-structured interview technique. Content analysis technique was used for qualitative data and six main themes were created.As a result, children at private and public schools have described as ‘’the meaning of the play’’ theme, as ‘’having fun, being happy, having a good time with friends, ’learning new rules, being healthy and doing sports’’. In the research, they also stated that they play game types such as ’’rope, hide, hide and seek’’ which do not require materials in public schools while they indicated they play games such as ‘’ball, dart, taboo and technological games’’ in private schools. Children indicated that they play at school competitive games prepared by teachers in physical activities lessons. It is concluded that, there is not too much change in the meaning of the game in terms of children who study at private and public schools. Children’s type of game and materials especially change for both girls and boys and schools. Although there are purpose of "enjoy" for both of the two groups, but materials and games that used and played are different.


Author(s):  
Richard J. Murnane

The previous chapter argues that comparisons of the performance of public and private schools can be misleading. This chapter examines in detail recent research providing such comparisons with the goal of clarifying what lessons can be drawn. The chapter also explains why the recent comparisons have puzzled, and in some cases infuriated, many public school educators. I begin by providing background on the best known of the recent studies. On April 7, 1981, at a conference attended by more than four hundred educators and the press, James Coleman announced the findings of research that he had conducted with Thomas Hoffer and Sally Kilgore on public and private high schools in the United States. Their principal finding was that Catholic schools and non-Catholic private schools are more effective in helping students to acquire cognitive skills than public schools are. Coming at a time of widespread criticism of public education and presidential support for tuition tax credits for families that use private schools, this finding was widely reported in the press and evoked a range of spirited reactions. Critics and supporters responded to Coleman, Hoffer, and Kilgore’s (henceforth CHK) work with articles and editorials with lively titles such as: “Coleman Goes Private (in Public),” “Lessons for the Public Schools,” “Coleman’s Bad Report,” and “Private Schools Win a Public Vote.” Over the succeeding months CHK’s work remained visible as critiques of their research and reanalyses of the data they used appeared in a variety of journals, in some cases accompanied by lengthy responses by CHK. Another wave of interest was sparked by the publication and subsequent reviews of CHK’s High School Achievement: Public, Catholic, and Private Schools Compared, in which they presented their final research findings. As a result of the wide range of responses to CHK’s work and the numerous symposia in which CHK have debated their critics in print, there is now ample material available to any reader interested in forming a judgment about the quality of the research that produced their main conclusion.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-302
Author(s):  
Karan Singhal ◽  
Upasak Das

In the view of increasing preference of private schooling in India, this article assesses its impact on learning outcomes for rural children from 8 to 11 years. Despite earlier attempts to study the issue, this article stands out in two ways. Firstly, it addresses the problems arising because of non-random selection of children attending private schools. Secondly, it also presents an all-India estimate unlike most studies which have dealt largely with few states. Our results show the performance of children attending private school to be significantly better than those from public schools. This difference is evident among ‘low-fee’ private schools as well. However the private schooling premium differ across regions and groups, and there are several other concerns regarding affordability, access and segregation which require further deliberation and debate. JEL: I2, I21, I28


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila Silva Ferreira ◽  
Dyene Aparecida Silva ◽  
Cristiana Araújo Gontijo ◽  
Ana Elisa Madalena Rinaldi

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare and analyze the consumption of minimally processed and ultra-processed foods among students from public and private schools. Methods: Study conducted in Uberlândia, MG, with fifth-grade students from three private and six public schools, selected by stratified cluster sampling. We collected data on food consumption using the 24-hour recall. Foods were classified into four groups (G) according to extent and purpose of processing: fresh/minimally processed foods (G1) culinary ingredients (G2), processed foods (G3), and ultra-processed foods (G4). Total energy intake (kcal) of each group, amount of sugar (g), sodium (mg), and fiber (g) were quantified and compared according to administrative affiliation (private or public). Results: Percentage of total energy intake was: G1 - 52%; G2 - 12%; G3 - 5%; e G4 - 31%. Energy intake from G1 (53 vs. 47%), G2 (12 vs. 9%), and G3 (6.0 vs. 0.1%), and amount of sodium (3,293 vs. 2,724 mg) and fiber (23 vs. 18 g) were higher among students from public schools. Energy intake from G4 (36 vs. 28%) and amount of sugar (20 vs. 14%) were higher among students from private schools. The consumption of foods from G1 in the school environment was higher among students from public schools (40 vs. 9%). Conclusions: Foods from G1 represent the highest percentage of total energy intake, while those from G4 constitute a third of calories consumed. Processed juice, sandwich cookie, processed cake, and breakfast cereals are more frequent among private school students; snacks and juice powder are more common for students from public schools.


Retos ◽  
2016 ◽  
pp. 275-281
Author(s):  
Miguel Fialho Pombeiro ◽  
Margarida Gaspar de Matos ◽  
José Alves Diniz

This study aims to compare lifestyles (LS) of students at private and public schools. All schools are from Lisbon´s region (Lisbon). Five lifestyles profiles (LSP) were recognized and interpreted based on physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST). The methodology and the instruments used were adapted from the International Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO). Overall, the sample consists of N=2906 students of both genders averagely aged 13.6 years (SD=1.8). The results showed that in both public and private school the access and use of technological equipment’s is being democratized, but that is not true with PA practice; students of private schools are more disciplined in PA and in ST consume.Rsumen: Este estudio tiene como objetivo comparar el estilo de vida de los estudiantes de las escuelas públicas y privadas de la región de Lisboa. Cinco perfiles de estilo de vida fueron reconocidos e interpretados teniendo en cuenta la actividad física y el tiempo de pantalla. La metodología y los instrumentos utilizados en este estudio son el resultado de una adaptación del Internacional Health Beaviour in School-aged Children en niños en edad escolar realizado bajo los auspicios de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. El estudio incluye N = 2906 estudiantes de ambos sexos, con una media de 13,6 años (SD = 1,8). Los resultados mostraron que en las escuelas públicas y privadas, hay una democratización del acceso y uso de la tecnología, pero no en la actividad física; estudiantes de colegios privados son más disciplinados en la práctica de la actividad física y el tiempo de pantalla.Resumo. O presente estudo pretende comparar o estilo de vida dos alunos de escolas privadas e públicas da Região de Lisboa. Cinco perfis de estilo de vida, foram reconhecidos e interpretados em função da prática de atividade física e do tempo de ecrã. A metodologia e instrumentos utilizados neste estudo resultam de uma adaptação do estudo Internacional Health Beaviour in School-aged Children realizado sob a égide da Organização Mundial de Saúde. O estudo inclui N=2906 alunos de ambos os géneros, com uma média de idades de 13.6 anos (DP=1.8). Os resultados mostraram que em ambas as escolas públicas e privadas, existe uma democratização no acesso e na utilização tecnológica, mas não na prática de atividade física; os alunos das escolas privadas são mais disciplinados na prática de atividade física e no tempo de ecrã.  


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