StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Public School Vs. Private School: An American Debate - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Do children really perform better at private schools than they do at public schools In most of America, there is a lot of apprehension surrounding the "Public School versus Private School" debate. Many Americans feel that private schools far exceed the education that public schools have to offer…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER92.3% of users find it useful
Public School Vs. Private School: An American Debate
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Public School Vs. Private School: An American Debate"

Public School Vs. Private School: An American Debate Do children really perform better at private schools than they do at public schools In most of America, there is a lot of apprehension surrounding the "Public School versus Private School" debate. Many Americans feel that private schools far exceed the education that public schools have to offer. However, recent studies show that public school students with socioeconomic backgrounds similar to those of private school students generally outperform private school students on standardized tests.

But, while public school students tend to do well in areas such as mathematics that are not socially or economically influenced, private school students still outshine in Language Arts, History, and the Sciences. Merited or not, private school students are more frequently accepted to Ivy League colleges and statistically earn a higher income following college than public school students do. But, it has often been argued that public school students are better adjusted, and more prepared to navigate an increasingly exigent work force.

In order to separate the fact from fiction, one must dig at the roots of the debate. At the beginning of the twentieth century, America's Ivy League schools were brimming with the offspring of the social elite. College freshmen could expect to find themselves among the ranks of private school graduates from Andover, St. Paul's, and Exeter to name a few. But, during the twentieth century, the best universities made an effort to make their institutions more diverse and socially inclusive. The Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) helped level the playing field but also exposed achievement gaps and difficulties within the public school system.

At the close of the twentieth century, private school graduates still had the upper hand in regards to college acceptance and higher paying jobs. With public schools overcrowded and the public education system in crisis, why do so many parents opt for public education In most cases it is not a matter of choice, but a matter of finances. The money required to cover private school tuition fees can be taxing, and many families simply cannot afford it. And, some families have ample resources, yet they choose to send their children to public schools.

Why It is true that public school classrooms are generally larger, the student body is more diverse, and academic achievement requires greater effort than it would at a private school. But, public school demands that one learn to get along with a variety of people from different backgrounds. Success depends on a high degree of resolve and self-motivation. These are important lessons that build character. It is difficult for children to acquire these social skills in a private school where uniformity is encouraged and most students come from a privileged background.

So, what is the big allure surrounding the recent middle-class Private School frenzy Private schools generally represent the full range of current education advances, because they are self-regulated and free of local curriculum mandates. Because they are independent, private schools can provide a variety of instruction streamlined to fit a high standard of education. Private schools also attract talented teachers interested in learning-based curriculum and few discipline problems. The debate forges on as the middle class weighs the educational options available for their children.

While private school students continue to excel, it is important to remember that public schools were founded on values, theories, and skills that are central to democratic progress and community. As waves of students flock from public to private institutions, there is a concern that educational divides will further widen. Works CitedClayton, Victoria. School Debate: Public Vs. Private. MSNBC. August 2, 2005. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8743221/&&CE=3088327

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Public School Vs. Private School: An American Debate Essay”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/education/1518072-public-school-vs-private-school-an-american-debate
(Public School Vs. Private School: An American Debate Essay)
https://studentshare.org/education/1518072-public-school-vs-private-school-an-american-debate.
“Public School Vs. Private School: An American Debate Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/education/1518072-public-school-vs-private-school-an-american-debate.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Public School Vs. Private School: An American Debate

School Segregation and the Achievement Gap

His statistics indicate that by the academic year 2000-2001,in 87 percent of public school enrollment in Chicago was black or Hispanic while less than 10 percent of children in the schools were white.... hellip; How did it move so slowly and how is it now regressing Segregation proved difficult to break initially: it was only with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that desegregation came close to a reality in many aspects of american life especially in upper level educational institutes....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

Obesity Evolved from a Private Matter to a Political Issue

The debate as to whether the obesity problem is personal or environmental or both will continue as long as the public attention lasts, and the prospect of public policy depends on continuation of publicity of the problem.... Definition of the problem, response from Congress, administrative agencies, courts, and cultural consequences of policy debate is a familiar route for obesity as observed in tobacco and patient's rights measure.... The study serves to identify the direction of the issue based on the prevailing debate....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Public Economics

The major problem in the idea of dismantling monopoly of public school stems from the fact that such an approach will improve quality of public education by increasing competition among schools.... The purpose of this essay is to critically discuss the role of parental choice in deciding the school so as to understand whether such a policy will be beneficial or harmful, from an economic point of view.... In America, people have been extremely concerned about quality of public education....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Private and public school

he first advantage of being in a public school over private school is cost.... It is much less costly to learn in a public school which is offered free by the government than a private school.... On the other hand, private school teachers would be rarely impelled to undertake such trainings.... “On the Public-private school Achievement Debate.... It therefore makes economic sense to enroll into a public school....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Public School Uniforms Rough Draft

Some people argue that school uniforms should be done away while others argue that school uniforms are beneficial and should be embraced.... Among the major public issues is the concerns on dress Normally, public schools have the freedom of letting their students dress based on their preferences, or else provide them with school uniforms.... Despite pros and cons expressed regarding school uniforms, I personally support the idea that the benefits far outstrip the damages....
5 Pages (1250 words) Research Paper

The Private School Choice Throughout the United States

The paper "The private school Choice Throughout the United States" focuses on the notion of an accountability mechanism for education institutions that includes incentives and sanctions.... Hence, this paper tries to answer two major questions: (1) is the argument of private school choice advocates well-founded; and (2) do private schools actually cater to the same students and achieve much better outcomes?... he private school choice is not the first education program to ask the public to finance the tuition fees of students who are selected by private schools (Cookson, 1992)....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Families, Children and Social Policy

The Census Bureau notes that 46percent of poor households own homes, 76 percent have air conditioning, the average poor american household has more living space than those in Europe, nearly three-fourth of poor households own cars – 30 percent own two or more cars – 78 percent own a DVD or a VCR player and 72 percent own a microwave oven.... ome analysts point out to the fact that poverty in America is over-reported in official figures since it does not include cash income and government sponsored programs like Food Stamp, healthcare and public housing....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

School Voucher Programs

School vouchers are basically vouchers that provide disadvantaged students with the opportunity to have access to private school education.... School vouchers are basically vouchers that provide disadvantaged students with the opportunity to have access to private school education.... According to Anti-Defamation League (1), a $ 2,500 voucher complementary may possibly make a difference for some families, providing them with just enough to cover the tuition fee at a private school....
6 Pages (1500 words) Literature review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us