From Education Week:
Low-income students who attend urban public high schools generally do just as well as private-school students with similar backgrounds, according to a study being released Wednesday.
Students at independent private schools and most parochial schools scored the same on 12th-grade achievement tests in core academic subjects as those in traditional public high schools when income and other family characteristics were taken into account, according to the study by the nonpartisan Center on Education Policy.
While the finding is in line with a handful of recent studies, it's at odds with a larger body of research over the years that has found private-school students outperform those in public schools. Some of that research found a private-school advantage even when income levels are taken into account.
However, the new study not only compared students by income levels but also looked at a range of other family characteristics, such as whether a parent participates in school life.
As the piece points out, a larger body of studies has still found greater achievement in private schools, but it appears this study examined what most don't: parental involvement.
The role of an active parent cannot be underestimated. Society is beginning to realize this, as evidenced not only by studies, but by the increasing number of TV and radio commercials that encourage parental involvement and guidance in academics, drug avoidance, abstinence and other areas of youth development.
This study might help explain why homeschooled children usually out-perform their public--and often even private--school peers. There is seldom a parent more involved in their child's life and education than the homeschooling parent.
Even for those who don't homeschool, though, this study reinforces the need for parental involvement. We can't just drop off the kids at a government institution and expect well-adjusted, productive people to pop out the other end after 12+ years.
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