| Not all students enrolled in a non-public school will succeed, and some of those students may not graduate from the school. Although the reasons are varied, they point to parental motivations in placing their students in private or parochial schools. In many cases, the motives include student vulnerability in public school, learning differences, a history of disciplinary problems, and problems with peer socialization.
Non-Public School Graduate Rates and College Statistics
The EPE Research Center (Editorial Projects in Education) released its annual report, “Graduation by the Numbers” on June 10, 2010, showing a decline in public school graduate rates. In contrast, non-public schools generally report graduate rates between 95-98%. But would parents of students that might not graduate from public school benefit by transferring their children to non-public options, given the statistics? The simple answer is no.
Students in the top percentile of graduating classes, whether they are in public or non-public schools, have the same options for admission to top tier universities and are able to qualify for the same scholarship opportunities. Non-public schools with superb traditional academic standings can offer a name-recognition status that other such schools cannot. Highly regarded Catholic high schools, frequently part of Catholic universities like Fordham, fall into this category. But this is not the case for every private school and it does not benefit under-achieving students.
What Accounts for High Non-Public School Graduation Rates
Near perfect graduation rates in private schools serve as a major selling point to prospective clientele. Unfortunately, parents use such statistics to send children to non-public schools that may not offer those students success in the often academically rigorous curriculum. By junior year – the most important year in high school, such students will be weeded out if there appears to be no hope for academic rehabilitation.
By the second semester of the senior year, students that would not have met graduation criteria have been withdrawn from the school. Because private schools have a lower student-teacher class ratio as well as a vested interest in seeing students succeed, students at risk of failure are identified earlier. Private schools often have the facilities and staff to facilitate remedial programs, tutoring, and peer mentoring – advantages not generally seen in non-public schools, particularly when school budgets are tight.
Costs associated with private tutoring as well as testing prep courses like Kaplan or Princeton can be high. In non-public schools, however, parents paying tuition and the many other school-related fees have a greater ability to pay for such services. This is also true in terms of identifying learning differences. Testing can result in the granting of accommodations on school assessments as well as extra time to take the PSAT and the SAT, but costs can run into thousands of dollars. Not every parent with a child in a private school can pay these added costs.
Why Non-Public School Students do not Succeed
There are a number of reasons why non-public schools simply cannot guarantee success for every enrolled student. These reasons include:
Socialization issues. Students that have difficulty developing peer socialization skills in larger public schools where they face either bullying or ostracism may do better in small, non-public school settings but this is not always the case. Too often the over-achiever attitudes in non-public schools exclude students unable to find camaraderie within the frenetic academic pace
Learning differences. Parents with students that have documented learning differences see the non-public option as a better guarantee of success. Although private schools may be more attuned to such student needs, smaller class sizes can place a heavier burden on students with special needs to “keep up” with the daily material. Additionally, they may be placed in classes with higher achieving students, leading to self-esteem issues and peer intimidation
Disciplinary problems. Students with a record of public school infractions, suspensions, or even expulsion may need the strict discipline of military-type boarding schools or specialized camps for at-risk teens, but the average private school is often not equipped to handle on-going and severe adverse behaviors
Lack of Parental Involvement. Private Day schools, including parochial schools, actively solicit parental involvement in the learning process. Unless parents and/or guardians are prepared to offer a high level of school involvement – including volunteer work and PTA support, students may not be as successful, notably those that require continuous motivation. This involves a higher degree of teacher-parent communication, grade monitoring, and speedier intervention
The non-public school option is not always the best solution for every student, unless the private school is ... |
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