A College Experience: Public vs Private Schools
A college is an experience shared by most people in society, however, the experience differs depending on individuals. Most people think about the right school as the stem of success and therefore would seem to be for the best learning environment for their relatives. The desire is between public and private schools based on what they provide and the preference of parents. The majority of people in society would consider personal schools as the best learning surroundings for their relatives, and that public schools were established for kids from poor backgrounds who cannot afford the excessive fees in private ones.
Class Sizes: Public vs Private Schools
The first comparison factor for public and private schools is the class sizes. Both state-managed faculties and private schools recognize the value of having a manageable class size and have since resorted to keeping class sizes as small as possible. Generally, the class size in public schools is larger with over 25 students per classroom. Contrary, most private schools keep small class sizes, averagely 15 or 16 students per classroom. As students advance to higher grades in public schools, the class size tends to increase. The case is not the same in private schools since the management is always keen on the student-to-teacher ratio. Private schools always provide low student-to-teacher ratios to enhance the performance by enhancing interaction between a teacher and students in a classroom (Lubienski et al. 1).
Curriculum Development: Public vs Private Schools
Also, there is a disparity between curriculum developments in public and private schools. It is important to note that curriculum development in both private and public schools has a prime aim of improving students’ performance in the particular grade. Public schools have a standardized curriculum and assessment procedures following state guidelines, theoretically created to ensure a certain amount of quality control. However, private schools have the freedom of choosing their own curriculum and assessment model to achieve the institutional vision (Andrabi et al. 2). The freedom aims at achieving higher standards for learners but sometimes may result in low performance.
Teacher Qualifications: Public vs Private Schools
While most parents take their children to private schools with the assumption that teachers in such schools are as qualified as the ones at public schools, the truth is that the state usually certifies all public school teachers or working towards certification. Various states ensure that all teachers in public schools are well trained. The training is done through certification and includes coursework and student teaching for individuals employed as teachers at public schools (Goldring, Lucinda & Amy 1). On the other hand, teachers in private schools may not be required to have authorization. They are often subject experts and undergraduates or holders of a graduate degree in their teaching subjects. These experts work under contracts that are renewed yearly. The contract deal in private schools makes it easier to remove underperforming teachers, unlike public schools which seem to be permanent.
Conclusion
Private and public schools are a lot alike. Many parents are determined to take their children to private schools hoping for the best education environment, but this should not be the case. The truth is even public should provide the best learning environment for students. There are teachers with certification in public schools. The state government is also concerned with ensuring manageable class sizes just like the board of management in private schools. Besides, standardized curriculum and assessment procedures in public schools ensure the same quality of education for all learners across states in the United States. Otherwise, private schools look more desirable for learning due to low student-to-teacher ratios and the fact that their curriculum is flexible and designed according to the specific needs of the students.
Works Cited
Andrabi, Tahir, Jishnu Das, and Asim Ijaz Khwaja. "Report cards: The impact of providing school and child test scores on educational markets." (2015).
Goldring, Rebecca, Lucinda Gray, and Amy Bitterman. "Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary School Teachers in the United States: Results from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey. First Look. NCES 2013-314." National Center for Education Statistics (2013): 1-4.
Lubienski, Christopher A., and Sarah Theule Lubienski. The public school advantage: Why public schools outperform private schools. University of Chicago Press, 2013.
