Enseñanza del Inglés en contextos diversos

Group i61

Evidence 2 – Comparative chart

Public Schools Private Schools

Private schools are usually supported by tuition payments
The government funds the school with taxpayer money.
and sometimes by funds from other nonpublic sources
There are some necessities that are not covered such as
such as religious organiza- tions, endowments, grants, and
Funding infrastructure.
charitable donations. In some states, private schools
Parents are encouraged to give some extra money for
receive public funds for certain services (e.g.,
these necessities.
transportation).
Number of About 46 million students are currently enrolled in the
About 6 million students are enrolled in private schools.
students Nation’s public schools in kindergarten through grade 12
- Racial and Ethnic Diversity: 28% of students are Black or - Racial and Ethnic Diversity: 17% of students are Black or
Hispanic. Hispanic.
- Limited English Proficiency: 5% of students have limited - Limited English Proficiency: 1% of students have limited
Student’s
English proficiency (9% in central cities). English proficiency.
Demographic - Personal Problems: Public school students are more - Personal Problems: Fewer private school students face
likely to face personal problems that interfere with learning personal problems that interfere with learning compared
(e.g., poverty, substance abuse). to public school students.
- Minority Teachers: 12% of teachers are minorities. - Minority Teachers: 9% of teachers are minorities.
- Principals: 16% of principals are minorities. - Principals: 8% of principals are minorities.
Teacher’s
- Education: 42% have earned a master's degree. - Education: 30% have earned a master's degree.
Demographic - Experience: Public school teachers have an average of 15 - Experience: Private school teachers have an average of 12
years of teaching experience. years of teaching experience.
- School Size: Public schools are generally larger than - School Size: Private schools tend to be smaller.
private schools. - Elementary: Average of 191 students.
School - Elementary: Average of 516 students. - Secondary: Average of 398 students in central city
- Secondary: Average of 1,083 students in central city areas.
Organization
areas. - Class Size: Private schools tend to have smaller class
and - Class Size: Public schools tend to have larger class sizes. sizes.
Management - School Facilities: Public schools are more likely to have a - School Facilities: Private schools often have fewer
wide range of services, such as special education programs, specialized services (e.g., special education, bilingual
remedial services, and libraries. However, they may also programs) but may offer more individualized attention due
 Enseñanza del Inglés en contextos diversos
Group i61

face resource constraints due to larger student to smaller student populations. Libraries in private schools
populations. tend to have larger collections per student.
- Extended-Day Programs: Public schools have been - Extended-Day Programs: Private schools have a higher
slower to adopt extended-day programs compared to percentage of extended-day programs compared to public
private schools. In 1993–94, 30% of public elementary and schools, with 48% of elementary and combined schools
combined schools offered such programs, compared to offering this service in 1993–94.
48% of private schools.
- Curriculum Decisions: Private school principals have
- Curriculum Decisions: Public school principals have less more influence over curriculum decisions, often taking the
influence over curriculum decisions, as these are often lead in determining what is taught at their schools. They
controlled by external authorities such as state operate with less oversight from external entities, giving
departments of education, school boards, and district staff. them more autonomy in shaping their schools’ educational
- Teacher's Influence: Public school teachers have less say programs.
in school-wide policies like discipline and curriculum - Teacher's Influence: Private school teachers report
Decision
compared to their private school counterparts. Authority is having more influence over key school policies, particularly
Making more centralized, with decisions influenced by higher-level in areas like setting discipline policies and shaping the
administrators. curriculum. This allows for a more localized and teacher-
- Autonomy: Public school teachers report having control driven approach to decision-making.
over certain classroom practices, such as grading and - Autonomy: Private school teachers enjoy greater
selecting teaching techniques, but less control over autonomy in the classroom, including more control over
curriculum content and discipline policies. classroom practices such as teaching techniques, discipline,
and selecting the content to be taught.
Public school students have a much greater exposure to
crime, The percentages of students in grades 6-12 who High school seniors in private schools were more likely
knew about, witnessed, or worried about being a victim of than their public school peers to have their parents
bullying, physical attack, or robbery were much greater in contacted about volunteering their time at school or about
School Climate both assigned and chosen public schools than in private the student's post-high school plans.
schools. Private school teachers share a greater sense of
Public school teachers are more likely to believe that a lack community within their schools.
of parent involvement is a serious problem in their school.
Academic Public elementary teachers spent an average of about 22 Private school teachers spent about 3 hours less than
Programs hours per week teaching the four core subjects. public schools on core subjects.
 Enseñanza del Inglés en contextos diversos
Group i61

Public school teachers were more likely than private school Private elementary teachers handle homework differently
teachers to demonstrate a concept using an electronic than public elementary and they have rigorous academic
medium. program

Private schools do not believe their students need these

Public schools provide a wide array of academic support
services or because they do not believe they can afford to
Support and health-related services.
provide them.
services Public school library/media centers tend to be more
Private schools tend to have larger library colections.
technologically advanced.
 Enseñanza del Inglés en contextos diversos
Group i61

QUESTIONS

Where does the school get its funding?

The defining distinction between public and private schools is their different sources of support. Public schools get its founds from the government,
while private schools are funded by tuition and sometimes by religious groups, donations, or grants.

Who attends the school? (demographic)

In 1993, 28 percent of public school students in grades 1–12 were black or Hispanic, com pared to 17 percent of those in private schools. Private
schools are changing, however, as evidenced by the increase in the percentage of black and Hispanic students between 1985 and 1993.

What type of students attend the school? (student’s characteristics)

Students bring with them to school certain background characteristics such as their racial/ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. Public schools tend to
have more racially and ethnically diverse student populations. Public schools have more students with limited English proficiency.

What type of teachers work in the school?

In the aggregate, public and private school teachers come from different racial/ethnic backgrounds, have different qualifications to teach, and are
compensated differently. Private schools have fewer minority teachers and principals; compared to public schools, about 12% of teachers and 16% of
principals are minorities, while in private schools, these numbers are lower—9% for teachers and 8% for principals. Many schools, especially private
ones, had no minority teachers at all during 1993-94, with 42% of public schools and 66% of private schools lacking minority teachers.
 Enseñanza del Inglés en contextos diversos
Group i61

What’s typically the school/class size?

In the 1993–94 school year, public schools were at least twice the size of private schools, on average. Public schools tend to have larger enrollments.
Small classes allow teachers to give students more individual attention and lighten the teacher’s workload and therefore are generally considered
desirable, although research on the relationship between outcomes and class size has not been conclusive.

Who makes the decision in the school?

Smaller schools are generally thought to be easier to manage and to promote a greater sense of community among both students and teachers;
however, larger schools (within limits) are often more equipped to offer a wider range of academic pro grams and support services.

What external factors affect everyday classes?

School climate can significantly affect the quality of the educa tional experience for students, teachers, and other staff. Teachers and students can’t
do their best if the school is unsafe, has disruptive students, or if teachers and parents don’t work well together. Exposure to crime or threats is far
more common in public schools. Private school teachers share a greater sense of community within their schools; when teachers in a school share a
strong sense of community, they are likely to be more effective instructors and more satisfied

Who decides the program to teach?

In the 1980s, school reforms focused on raising academic standards for elementary and high school students. A key goal was for all students by the
year 2000 to show strong skills in subjects like reading, math, science, and social studies by the 4th, 8th, and 12th grades. While public schools
necessarily must take some direc tion from State Departments of Education, local school boards, and district staff, more site-based management and
local decision making are frequently advocated as a means of improving school effectiveness.

What support services does the school have?

 Enseñanza del Inglés en contextos diversos
Group i61

In addition to their curricular offerings, schools provide various other services to support the academic and health-related needs of their students.
Public schools were more likely than private schools to have libraries in 1993–94, but among schools with libraries, private schools had larger
collections, on average, on a per student basis (37 versus 26 volumes).