Is paying for school really worth it? The question over whether
private or public schools are better has been a highly debated issue
for ages. Today education is a complex and compelling topic. Questions
about school quality, accountability, curriculum, and teacher training
arise each day, and are explored in newspapers, political debates, and
over kitchen tables across the county. The distinction between public
and private schools is no longer as straightforward as it once was.
Many parents are faced with a difficult decesion when it comes to
choosing the right school for their child. And the right school for
one person may not necessarily be the right one for another. One
important fact to remember is that not all public schools are the same
and this is also true for private institutions. For every public
school or private school that performs at a high level there is
another one that performs below average. Because of this it is
important for a parent to compare schools on a school to school basis,
rather than based on overall national statistics. Some differences
between public and private schools are obvious. But deciding whats
right for your child entails educating themselves about and
researching the subtle distinctions many parents ignore. The majority
of people have a basis one way or another. Some assume that private
schools offer superior everything, justifying their tuition costs.
Others contend that public schools provide more real-life experiences
or, in some cases, more developed specialtiy programs in athletics or
science. Research does show that private schools generally tend to
have superior academic programs, however, the gap between public and
private may be narrowing and public schools are actually getting
better. According to a 2009 Great Schools and Harris Interactive poll,
"nearly one in four parents are currently considering switching their
child's school either from private to public or public to private for...