Are Public Schools Better Than Private Schools

Are private school students better than those in public schools? What are some of the factors that separate the quality of education received by the two groups of students? Controversy has in the past brewed over studies that have indicated that students in private schools perform better than those in public schools (Andrew, Routled &Francis, 2009) .This paper is meant to achieve an in-depth analysis of both the public and private stakeholders in the education system. Moreover, the paper will focus on a study that reveals the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats experienced by students going through both systems. The study employs a unique selection model that involve religious and non-religious in comparison to public schools. In addition, the study focuses on how these factors affect the selection of schools by individuals and what exactly make private schools attractive. The paper also evaluates measures that can be taken to ensure that both the public schools and the private schools offer the same quality of education.

Research problem

The competition between private and public schools has been ongoing for a long time. It is only with determining which one is better, that we can ascertain who is better between private school students and public school students, (Coleman, Hoffer, & Kilgore, 1982). Although research has been continuous for quite some time, it is unfeasible for anyone to state empirically that one system is better than the other is. Similarly, there has not been enough improvement in the educational sector, despite the fact that recommendations have been made constantly as to how to equalize these systems. This therefore begs the question; how can the research be carried out in such a way that it highlights major issues in the educational sector that need to be addressed?

The research is also supposed to bring to light a pragmatic way through which the quality of public school students can be measured against that of private school students, (Coleman, Hoffer, & Kilgore, 1981). Human beings tend to be proud of institutions that they are affiliate to. That being said, exaggeration or even false witness statements could hinder conduction of an analysis of the system.

Research questions and variables

The study should allow for the comprehension of issues that lead to the rift between public and private schools. It should also allow for the answering of questions such as; are private school students better than public school students are. If so, how different are they from public school student? Rather, in what aspects do these students differ? Further, the paper should address the possibility of an intervention in the education sector to address the issues that demarcate the two institutions in terms of quality education. This should be able to create a lasting solution to the quality issue. Variables involved in this study include socioeconomic status, parental education, peer group characteristics and community support.

Socioeconomic status

This is commonly referred to as SES. This could affect education at the home level as well as the attitude towards education. The materials read at home could be very resourceful in improving the student's intake of knowledge. Correspondingly, a good environment, one without parental quarrels, where all the basic human needs are met can guarantee that the student can focus more on education. Availability of books and access to the internet is a chief contributor to the learning process. These facilities are not available to all, and this possibly will impinge on the quality of education. Socioeconomic status could also affect the attitude towards education making data collection during the research difficult.

Parental education

The level of education of the parents is also a variable in this study. Parents could influence their children to either, study hard and achieve as much as they did, or to disregard education all the same. Parents with a lower education level are not able to monitor their children's progress in school or even to determine if they are receiving quality education. This may lead to abridged standards in education. Parental education could affect the quality of a students work at school as well.

Peer group characteristics

The company that is to be found at a prospective school may without a doubt determine whether a parent considers the school for his/her child. Parents always want what is best for their children. The thought that negative behavior is quite common in public schools could be a negative aspect. This study should however establish whether this is true and find ways to mitigate the same.

Community support

The community does in a way regulate the activities of a learning institution. The community influences discipline and behavioral mannerism that are acceptable. This is a major variable since different communities may perhaps prefer different behavior.

Importance and benefits of research

This research could without a doubt be the elusive solution to the issues surrounding equality and equity in the educational sector. The research will also answer the unanswered questions like; what factors make private and public school students different, whether the students are different or not as well as the question as to what can be done, to ensure that there is a lasting solution to these issues.

Research objectives

The study and subsequently the research process, is meant to highlight issues that separate quality education provision between the public and private schools. It should also establish if at all, public schools are better than private schools and vice versa. The research process will highlight areas where these two differ and find ways to resolve these issues, creating a lasting solution to the issues that have plagued the educational sector for a very long time. This paper, with the focus on precedent studies, will also look at past recommendations and what has been done to put them into effect, not to mention the results they have achieved so far. What challenges have been faced during the implementation process and how they can be remedied in the future are also questions meant to be answered in the study.

Literature review

The literature reviews in this paper has paid special emphasis on the choice of schools. David N. Figlio and Joe A. Stone (1997) have tackled the academic article. The ideas and measures stipulated in this article are as per stipulated by the two researchers. Their study is mainly aimed at comparing private and public schools. Several