Having worked in both public and private schools, I can see their is so much more than just the basic argument of cost that is so often made. Private school tuition for a high school is approximately $8000 in the area. The prices go up, but rarely lower than that. Public schools report spending approximately $12,000 per student. So why does it cost so much more at a public school? Are private schools just that much better? Let's break down some of the variables that account for the differences. This is completely anecdotal, but I hope to show how the simplistic arguments can be deconstructed.
--- Typically, private school teachers are paid less than public school teachers. They trade uniforms, conformity, and the ability to kick out students that don't conform (a little discussed secret) out of the school. The pay tends to be a 20 to 30% difference. That is a huge tradeoff. To help offset it, often there is a discount for the children of teachers to go to the school.
--- Private schools tend to ask a lot of their teachers, giving extra assignments (extra teaching loads), coaching duties, and different assignments. The compensation will not be equal to a public school teacher, but the sense of commitment will be used to guilt. In public schools, a union restricts the work hours, work load, and assignments.
--- Public schools service everyone. EVERYONE. Documented or undocumented. All students in a district are served. Whether you have money or don't, public schools provide opportunities. Whether you have special needs or you are an over achiever, public schools serve you. Private schools are able to pick students, refuse others, and can ask any student to leave. Offenses leading to expulsion may be drugs, fighting, language, disrespect, or just non-compliance. It doesn't take a lot to be removed from a private school. Public schools don't have that luxury. They must handle every student, regardless of the home situation, the stressors, the choices families make. Bruised, angry children, from broken homes, lashing out at a system that they feel has failed them are beside students from picture perfect homes. Both deserve an education, and only public education commits fully to caring for them.
--- Special education has never been a priority for private schools. The cost is too high, and the law has not mandated them to do anything. Public schools, on the other hand, have a legal obligation. Special education teachers are often overloaded, and work diligently to care for those most vulnerable in our society. But, because of their special situation, they often act as a second teacher in a classroom, or deal with fewer students. Often, public schools bring in aides to help out students with extra needs. All of this drives up the cost of education, and is unique to the public sector. A private student with a Individualized Education Plan is by law required to be transported to a public school by the public school for anything that the private school can not offer.
--- Public schools have social workers, Student Resource Officers, and numerous people to help bridge the growing gap between the haves and the have nots in society, and the children caught in the middle. This is just good business, but again, drives up the price.
--- Technology is better in public schools, usually, and the variety of programs offered (at a loss) is much greater. Technology classes, real world skills, vocational technologies, etc. are offered at public schools, but are not at private schools. Most private schools call themselves college prep, and have no courses in vocational technologies. The cost is too high. But, not all of our students are college bound. Some have skills and interests that aren't college specific.
Enough of a rant. Understand that my descriptions were large, and wide. They won't fit every situation, but they are for the most part accurate. Both school systems have a purpose. But the argument is not as simple as private does it better. They do a lot of fundraising, a lot of cherry picking, and a lot of demanding. Teaching has never been about the money for teachers. Don't reduce education down to a simple argument over money. It is so much more complex.
