"At the private school, we didn't really learn that much writing - we did mostly grammar. But here, we're learning grammar AND writing," says 13-year-old Kenny, a junior at a public high school.

His friend Chris, 12, agrees: "This place is great. I really like it. I'd like to stay here longer, but its only two years."

Can public schools really be as good as private?

"I would never consider my goal to be 'as good as' a private school," says Brenda Dyckman, principal of a public school. "I track [my students'] grades into high school, and I find that whatever grades they achieve here, they are able to maintain those grades in high school, whether it be a private school or public school."

In fact, on average, private elementary and middle schools are no better than public schools, or so says a new book on the subject, All Else Equal: Are Public And Private Schools Different.

"We've done these studies, and other people have done these studies, and the findings are pretty clear," says Dr. Martin Carnoy, a professor of education and economics at Stanford University and co-author of the book. "There is no significant difference between how kids do, given their socioeconomic background, their family background, in private schools and in public schools."

What's crucial is family income, Dr. Carnoy says. In wealthy neighborhoods, public schools are just as successful as private schools in those neighborhoods. And the same is true for public and private schools in poor neighborhoods: Kids are learning the equivalent lessons, and at the same rate.

"[At private schools], you might find more security, kids wearing uniforms - that, you might find. But on the other hand, if you look at the academics, you'll see very little difference," Carnoy says.

Dr. Carnoy says it is a myth that private school teachers are free to innovate, while public school teachers are mired in bureaucracy.

"It turns out that if you go into these schools, you see very little difference in the classrooms. The teachers in the private schools aren't particularly innovating; in fact, they are probably teaching a public school education," he says.

Karen Kehlet, a mother and co-president of the PTA at her daughter's middle school, says Dr. Carnoy's study just reinforces something she knew all along.

"I don't think that just because you pay money for something makes it better. There isn't a better place for my daughter to be going to school than here," she says.

While the academics at public and private schools may be similar, other differences do exist. If you want your child to wear a school uniform, get a religious education or learn in a college prep environment, a private school may still be worth the money.

By Suki Shergill-Connolly, M.Ed.
CWK Network, Inc.

It is an age-old question: Is it more advantageous to send your child to a private school rather than a public school? The answer is no, according to a new book co-authored by three researchers that shows only slight differences exist between the two avenues of education. The researchers based their book, All Else Equal: Are Public And Private Schools Different?, on in-depth studies of 16 public, private and charter K-8 schools in California. The biggest differences they found were related to socioeconomic issues, which lead the researchers to suggest that private schools serving students from low-income families were more like the public schools serving similar populations than either the private or public schools serving more affluent communities:

• Educators in poorer private schools, particularly Roman Catholic schools, had no more latitude than public school educators in the same communities to try innovative teaching ideas or veer from the prescribed curriculum.
• Private school administrators in some of the same low-income schools rarely fired teachers. Their hesitation came because they knew that, in the face of widespread teacher shortages, they would have a hard time finding replacements and because they feared lawsuits from disgruntled teachers - just as public school administrators said they did.
• In both the public and private schools attended by children from poor families, teachers complained that parents were not involved in their children's schooling. The opposite was true, however, in the better-off public and private schools, where administrators complained of too much parent involvement.

According to the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), more than 485,000 students are enrolled in NAIS member schools and an additional 300,000 attend non-member independent schools nationwide. In the last 10 years, the cost of a private high school education has increased about 30%, with the average nonpublic high school education costing about $14,000 a year.

Besides the obvious tuition factor, what other differences exist between public and private schools? Broward County Public Schools in Florida offers the following summary of public and private schools:

Public schools:

• Public schools are required to operate for a minimum of 180 days.
• Public schools are prohibited by the state Constitution from charging state residents any form of tuition or other fees for materials, supplies, textbooks or transportation.
• Public school teachers are required to hold college degrees and to be licensed by the state.
• Public schools must accept any resident student who applies for admission.
• The right of a public school student to a free education is guaranteed by the state Constitution.
• Public school students must meet state graduation requirements that include a minimum of 24 credits (15 of which must be in specified courses) and a 2.0 high school grade point average.

Private schools:

• Private schools are permitted to maintain compliance with only 170 days.
• Most private schools traditionally impose fees, in addition to tuition.
• Private schools have no personnel requirements other than their own.
• Private schools can be selective in choosing their students.
• Private schools are not subject to provide a free education under the state Constitution.
• Graduation requirements for private schools are left to the determination of each school and are not subject to any state requirements.

As a parent, how can you determine what type of school is best for your child? For starters, it is important for you to know your options. The Oregon Department of Education cites the following types of schools for you to consider:

• Charter schools (public): These autonomous, "alternative" public schools are started by parents, teachers, community organizations and for-profit companies. They receive tax dollars, but the sponsoring group must also come up with private funding. Charter schools must adhere to the basic curricular requirements of the state but are free from many of the regulations that apply to conventional schools and the day-to-day scrutiny of school boards and government authorities.
• Magnet schools (public): These highly competitive, highly selective public schools are renowned for their special programs, superior facilities and high academic standards. They may specialize in a particular area, such as science or the arts. Students who apply to these schools go through a rigorous testing and application process.
• Independent schools (private): These schools are nonprofit and governed by elected boards of trustees. Independent schools draw their funds from tuition payments, charitable contributions and endowments rather than from taxes or church funds. They may be affiliated with a religious institution but cannot receive funds or governance from them. Independent private day schools generally cost from a few thousand to more than $10,000 per student per year, while an independent boarding school charges each student approximately $20,000 annually.
• Parochial schools (private): These church-related schools are most commonly owned and operated by Catholic parishes or dioceses but also by Protestant denominations. Hebrew schools may also be termed parochial. The majority of the private schools in the United States are parochial schools. Their academic curriculum is supplemented with required daily religious instruction and prayer. Teachers may be clergy or laypersons who may or may not be trained educators. Your child doesn't have to be Catholic to attend a parochial school, but he or she will still be required to attend religious education classes and prayer services. Parochial schools generally cost between $1,200 and $2,400 per year for an elementary school student and between $4,600 and $7,500 for a high school student.
• Proprietary schools (private): These private schools are run for profit. This is a relatively new category of school. They do not answer to any board of trustees or elected officials. Because of this, they claim to be able to respond quickly to the demands of the market. Tuition is comparable to that of private, nonprofit schools.
• Home schools: These schools include an educational environment in which a student receives instruction offered in a home, as regulated by state law, for reasons other than health.

Once you know your options, you can implement the TEST method, suggested by the Partnership for Learning:

Talk to others. Find out what active parents and educators think about schools or other programs. A customer's point of view, from someone who actually has a child enrolled, is one of the best sources. Below are a few questions to get you started:

• What kind of school do you prefer?
• Why are you sending your child to that particular school?
• How much time have you spent at your child's school?
• Overall, what do you think about the school?
• What do you like best? What do you like least?
• How far does the school go out of its way to make families feel welcome?
• How involved are parents?
• How often do you hear from the school or your child's teacher about your child's progress?
• How much do teachers seem to like their jobs and the kids?
• What do people think about the principal's leadership?
• Does the school seem safe and well cared for?
• What are the names of some active parents at the school with whom I could talk?

Evaluate the school. Once you decide which schools you are going to evaluate, it is important to search out information and ask questions that will show you just what each school offers in important areas. The following series of questions focuses on many of the key elements of what different schools provide for your child both in terms of educational quality and how well the school meets the needs of your particular family:

• Does the school engage parents as partners?
• Does the school have a clear plan focused on academic achievement?
• Is the principal confident, focused and engaged?
• Is the school too big?
• Does the school have basic resources?
• Does the school achieve academic gains?
• Are expectations high, real and shared?
• Are staff committed?
• Do teachers know their stuff?
• Is the school safe?
• Does this school match our family's goals?
• Will this school appreciate our child's strengths and strengthen his or her weaknesses?
• Will this school respect our family's values?
• Are this school's expectations for family involvement at a level we can meet?
• Is this school's cost of transportation, tuition and other expenses within our family's means?
• Is this school close enough for us to transport our child and to stay involved?

Schedule a visit. Visit at least two of your top schools. Test scores and written mission statements can't tell you enough. Besides, the best school for your child is often the one where you can be most involved, and you can only find that out by meeting people at the school face to face.

Take action early. You've talked to other parents. You've evaluated the school and you've stopped by for a visit. You have all of the information you need to make your decision. Prioritize the schools that best meet your child's needs and the goals you have determined for your child.

All Else Equal: Are Public And Private Schools Different?
Broward County Public Schools
National Association of Independent Schools
Oregon Department of Education
Partnership for Learning