The Education Wonks
Will they stand up to scrutiny? I can't say, but I'm bothered by this recurring theme in the article:
when adjustments were made for student backgrounds
That part of the methodology would be interesting to see, because I'm not exactly sure how you "adjust the scores" for "student backgrounds."
My guess is that what it would really reinforce is my primary educational philosophy: parental involvement (or lack thereof) is hands down the biggest factor in a child's educational success.
I'm not sure I'd be trumpeting these results just yet if I were the AFT.
I agree with David. I'd also suggest that one reason for any apparent success of charters or private schools would be the very obvious fact that every single kid enrolled has proactive parents.
I'm part of AFT, in fact, and I see no problem whatsoever with trumpeting these results. They confirm earlier studies commissioned by the AFT.
The government's choice to essentially disregard its own study speaks for itself.
I should have clarified: I agree with David about parental involvement.
The last name of the researchers is Lubienski.
The only way that a REAL valid study could work is with a longitudinal set-up following particular students over time. This study is simply looking at aggregates. It cannot tell you whether Johnny, now in a private, attended a public earlier or vice-versa, nor does it tell you how long they have been in a given setting.
The "SES" corrections are based on factors such as eligibility for free or reduced lunch under Title 1. Guess what folks? Many privates do not serve lunch & students bring their own--the gov't programs do not come into play. All of the SES factors involved were eligibility for free or reduced lunch, eligibility for Title 1 funding, reading material in the student's home, computer access at home, Internet access at home, and the extent to which a student's studies are discussed at home. Presumably the first two factors were reported by school administrations; the rest were self-reported by students. Think that there might be a bit of error introduced in some of this reporting?
Yet another "study" designed from the get-go to reach the pre-determined conclusion. How much do you want to bet that other factors were initially weighed & then discarded when they did not lead to the desired result.
Since typically most private schools have about half the budget per student as public schools, public schools might want to be careful about making a big deal about this study. With twice the money public schools should be doing a much, much better job.
Many rich parents do send their children to private schools, but the vast majority of parents sending their children to private schools are middle class parents who find that the public schools are not doing a good enough job in educating their children. These parents are willing to spend money to try to fix the problem. Interestingly enough, teachers are more likely than the average parent to send their children to a private school.
The study seems to be saying there isn’t a problem. Millions of parents disagree.
Sickn'tired said, "The last name of the researchers is Lubienski."
I took a look with Google, and you're right. Good catch. We've amended the Times article reprinted above.
As most of the country's papers are reprinting the Times piece verbatum, they are also repeating the error.
The New York Times making a mistake. Imagine that. 
I suspect that perhaps a reason many parents send their children to private schools is for the simple fact that they want their child educated, not bullied (as much), not having the teacher spending time dealing with discipline issues, and having their child in a learning environment with children with similar backgrounds ? Or, for religious reasons.
BUT, I agree, the parents make a tremendous difference in the quality of education a child gets......Parents, Child, Teacher, School, Community.....ALL must be involved, accountable and responsible for education of a child.
The government's choice to essentially disregard its own study speaks for itself.
The study's questionable conclusions may apply to charter schools, but they say nothing about vouchers. If anything, it might make a case for more vouchers (parental choice = parental involvement). What would you have the government do? Disband the charters?
I'm still not sure the AFT has anything to brag about:
At the eighth-grade level, a 21 point lead, roughly the equivalent of two grade levels, disappeared after adjusting for differences in student backgrounds.
"Give us a 2-grade handicap, and we look pretty good!" Sure, and if you spot me 180 points in bowling, I can get pretty close to a 300 game.
BUT, I agree, the parents make a tremendous difference in the quality of education a child gets......Parents, Child, Teacher, School, Community.....ALL must be involved, accountable and responsible for education of a child.
So maybe I should add a bit more of my educational philosophy - parents aren't just involved; they are the primary educators of their children; that is, they have primary responsibility and primary authority for their child's education.
We didn't sense that the public school system agreed with us in this. That's one of the main reason we're homeschooling.
I have to chime in here, of course, as a private school teacher. The repeated phrase "when adjusted for differences" bothers me, too, and it makes me question the results. It seems to me that, as a former public school teacher, and a current private school teacher, the performance of the students is just higher. I don't have data to support it. All I have is what I've seen. I can ask my students to do more, and they will work hard. If they don't work hard or if they can't do it, they are dismissed from the school. I had that happen to three of my students last year -- one needed ESOL assistance we just couldn't provide. The other two just couldn't make it (one was due to ability, the other just sat and did not work).
Parent involvement, as David noted, is a huge factor. My students' parents are involved and want to know how their children are doing. Wouldn't you if you were paying $14,000 a year for school?
We have students across the socioeconomic spectrum -- we offer scholarships to students who need them -- but yes, the majority come from wealthy backgrounds.
And finally, Polski3 is right: we have no bullies. Our school is like a family, and the students get along really well. Do they tease each other? Yes. It's different, though. I have never seen a fight. I doubt I ever will -- the kids know that it won't be tolerated. My kids aren't perfect, but the discipline problems I dealt with in public school are just gone. I am not disrespected by my students, either.
I tell you, I wish more than anything that I could send my own children to private school after working at one for two years. I know there's a difference.
A private school teacher commented above that the private school kids score higher generally (when "adjustments" weren't made to the data for background, etc).
And then goes on to write this about the private school she teaches at: "I can ask my students to do more, and they will work hard. If they don't work hard or if they can't do it, THEY ARE DISMISSED FROM THE SCHOOL (caps added). I had that happen to three of my students last year -- one needed ESOL assistance we just couldn't provide. The other two just couldn't make it (one was due to ability, the other just sat and did not work).
That explains volumes - and coincides with what I saw when my child attended private school for 6 years - if you don't have the grades, you are kicked out.
Gee, any surprise then that private school children score better than public school - they've kicked out all of the ones who wouldn't test well.
Julia, I attended private schools for 10 years and never once saw a student kicked out for grades. I have never seen it at the private schools where my currently friends teach, either. Are you sure it actually was for grades, and not behavior? I know several failing students who were kicked out, but it wasn't because of their grades. Their failing grades and their expulsion were both due to behavior issues. I would find it very distrubing if I ever saw what you describe.
Julia, I teach middle school social studies in a parochial school. Not only do we NOT dismiss students that 'cannot do the work;' we have to battle with their home districts for testing and then to get them the needed services, requiring pull out from other classes, while being driven to their 'home school.'
Like the first poster, I wonder what, [the new study used advanced statistical techniques to adjust for the effects of income, school and home circumstances...],means? I understand 'income' but what the heck are the parameters on the other?
Personally, I would not say that private schools are better than public schools, my own children attended public high schools and I was very happy with the results. One difference is that teachers in private schools, have more control over their curriculum, good teachers can really make a difference here, but the reverse is also true with 'not so good' teachers, of which we have our share.
The children who were kicked out at my child's school were very well behaved. They needed special services which the school did not provide. They needed extra tutoring which the school did not provide. Their grades had fallen to C's and below & stayed there. The school relied heavily on donations from alumni to run - and alumni don't donate to schools that produce students with C's and D's.
I should clarify - The children weren't kicked out one day in the middle of the semester. They were told that a place would not be available for them at the school the following year.
I'm glad your schools don't do this - but don't think for a moment that it is not occurring out there.
Good one, it's in and you're linked, thanks!
absurd thought -
God of the Universe hates
efficient charter schools
parents should have no choice
keep urban poor in bad schools
.
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