Public vs. Private

My mother, my brother and my wife are public school teachers. I teach in a private/ independent school. It's little surprise to me that this study found no difference in performance by students in independent schools compared with students from public schools once parent income levels were taken into account.

So what can an independent school offer? In many cases, independent schools can offer more diverse learning environments. Again in many cases, independent schools can be more proactive and explicit in instilling moral codes. Private schools can also "catch out" kids who could disappear in larger public schools. Completely anecdotally, I've taught kids - usually misfits in public schools- who have thrived in my independent school. I've also known students who have left my school for public schools who have reported positive experiences.

For independent schools to thrive despite an increasingly difficult and likely unsustainable business model, we're going to have to do better in distinguishing ourselves.