[TGD cracks knuckles and steals liberally from third party sources]
- For profit education replaces student achievement (the ostensible goal of education) with profit pressures.
- For profit education replaces individual student needs with profit pressures.
- For profit managers can be as inefficient as public managers.
For points (1) and (2), the response may be "who cares," but if student achievement and needs are not met, such children are more likely to be wards of the state and supported by taxpayer money into their adult years, which may be more costly than providing public education.
Furthermore, there is a distinct lack of evidence that private or charter schools, with all of their alleged efficiencies, do a better job of educating than publicschools.
For example, Minnesota is the state with the oldest charter school law (i.e. providing for competitive schools). Minnesota's national test scores in math have increased by less than 7% in 20 years (since the introduction of the competitive system). The state's national test scores in reading has increased by less than 1% in 20 years.
But let's look at the NAEP's study (albeit from 2006):
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pu ... 006461.aspIn grades 4 and 8 for both reading and mathematics, students in private schools achieved at higher levels than students in public schools. The average difference in school means ranged from almost 8 points for grade 4 mathematics, to about 18 points for grade 8 reading. The average differences were all statistically significant. Adjusting the comparisons for student characteristics resulted in reductions in all four average differences of approximately 11 to 14 points. Based on adjusted school means, the average for public schools was significantly higher than the average for private schools for grade 4 mathematics, while the average for private schools was significantly higher than the average for public schools for grade 8 reading. The average differences in adjusted school means for both grade 4 reading and grade 8 mathematics were not significantly different from zero.
Comparisons were also carried out with subsets of private schools categorized by sectarian affiliation. After adjusting for student characteristics, raw score average differences were reduced by about 11 to 15 points. In grade 4, Catholic and Lutheran schools were each compared to public schools. For both reading and mathematics, the results were generally similar to those based on all private schools. In grade 8, Catholic, Lutheran, and Conservative Christian schools were each compared to public schools. For Catholic and Lutheran schools for both reading and mathematics, the results were again similar to those based on all private schools. For Conservative Christian schools, the average adjusted school mean in reading was not significantly different from that of public schools. In mathematics, the average adjusted school mean for Conservative Christian schools was significantly lower than that of public schools.
Let us also consider the following: Billy, Suzie and Joe attend a public school (Ronald Reagan Regional Elementary). Billy is an excellent student. Suzie is average at best. Joe is below average. They have been in the same clases from kindergarten through eighth grade, so the relative education they receive has been the same. Billy, Suzie, and Joe take the same standardized tests. Out of a possible score of 100, Billy scores 100, Suzie scores 75, and Joe scores 50. The average score, and what is reported to the state, is 75.
Billy, Suzie, and Joe attend high school. Billy goes to a private school because his parents can afford it or he gets an academic scholarship or he gets a sports scholarship or he wins a lottery. Suzie and Joe attend public school school because their parents can't afford private school or don't get scholarships or don't win the lottery. In 12th grade, they take a standardized test. Billy scores 100. Suzie scores 75. Joe scores 50. The private school that Billy goes to reports an average score of 100. The public school that Suzie and Joe attend reports an average score of 62.5. Is private school better? Or are the students at private school better? Clearly it's the latter.