Posted on 06/07/2016 7:53:09 AM PDT by MichCapCon
LANSING — Due to their nature as independent, self-supporting institutions, private schools do not disclose data about themselves in a standardized format, which sometimes clouds the public's understanding of them. A new report, though, sheds some light on the private school landscape in Michigan.
Rachel White, a doctoral candidate at Michigan State University, gave a presentation on Thursday about her new study of the private education sector. White spoke at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s Issues and Ideas Forum.
While 601 private schools serving 113,000 students operate in Michigan, little research has been done to understand these institutions. When discussing her new study, White said, “The children in the private school system are not an insignificant number. … This data provides a unique look and valuable information about the state of our private schools.”
Despite the popular perception that private schools are pricey institutions, they are, in fact, significantly less expensive than public schools. The average tuition for private school primary students is $4,700 while high schools charge $7,800. In contrast, the state foundation allowance for every public school pupil is about $7,400 while the total spending of the average district is around $13,000 per student each school year.
The lower spending levels do not come from employing an uneducated or unqualified workforce, however. The study found that 98 percent of private school educators hold at least a bachelor's degree, and 82 percent are accredited by the state of Michigan. Additionally, private schools constantly administer student achievement tests — exams which measure students against their peer groups — to ensure that education standards are met. They tend to rely more on private assessments, such as the ACT or SAT examinations, than on Michigan’s official test, the M-STEP.
More importantly, said White, "Private schools are not taking a one-size-fits-all approach to tuition.” Many schools use a sliding scale based on income, and some charge each family a percentage of its income. The study also found that private schools that serve more underprivileged children cost less and provide more financial aid than private schools serving fewer underprivileged students.
“Private schools educate over 100,000 students in Michigan. Thus, it is important to understand the makeup and characteristics of these schools,” White said. “This report provides new information about private schools that should be useful for policymakers, educators and parents.”
The study, "Survey of Michigan's Private Education Sector," is published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, which also publishes Michigan Capitol Confidential.
Thank you, Captain Obvious.
It’s because they’re not overloaded with administrators and administrator assistance and assistant to the assistance; and teacher assistance with assistance. And we’re not even talking about office staff with their assistants. I read where over half of a public schools money goes to staff payroll.
LOL! Private schools don’t have 3 administrators for every teacher.
I started spouting off about the evils of Islam and by 13yr old pipes up and says not all Muslims are bad. I said, who told you that, did you learn it in school - he said yes.
So I said the Koran - their bible (he was just confirmed) - says to kill all non-believes. He called BS.
So I sat him down and googled “evils of Islam” and BOOM there it was - all the verses calling for violence.
He sat and read it thoroughly, sat back and said “wow.”
Sick of having to undo all the brainwashing.
Public education, besides being a leftists propaganda machine, exist’s to provide jobs for incompetent diverse ones.
Depends on the private schools.
The three Catholic private schools, I’m familiar with neighbor kids attending and two of our younger relatives have a basic $20,000 fee per year, That is only a down payment as all types of expenses are charged after admittance.
They also don’t have to provide a full time aid per special Ed student. A one to one ratio is expensive. I suspect most private schools don’t offer special education services? From what I’ve heard CMCS in Prinsburg, Mn is an exception.
Aids are, however, far less costly than administrators so you are correct about the biggest difference in expenses. School social workers, counselors, nurses, etc are further expenses.
Depends on the “private” school. And, your property and state income taxes still pay for public schools. You are NOT exempt from paying for public schools if you homeschool or send your kids to public schools.
Public schools are Satan’s American masterpiece.
On average the cost of the actual education is less.
Government doesn’t do anything better or more efficiently than private enterprise.
Public schools have become a jobs program for liberals.
Only 13% of Michigan private schools are not affiliated with some religious institution, so direct student costs may be misleading, as the schools may receive subsidies from their parent religious organization.
Nor do they have the “medical” staff of therapists - psychologists, behavior specialists, occupational therapists, special ed teachers, etc etc etc. plus one-to-one “shadow aides” for the pain in the ass students.
That's usually the case. For me, that means I get to pay taxes for public schools I don't use, and I also pay (through assessment on my parish) for Catholic schools I don't use. Then I actually, finally, pay for my own children's education.
I could be upset about this, but how would that help? At least it keeps other people's kids off the street.
Decades ago. The more depressed the city, the more people depend on the school system for jobs.
Private school savings:
Less Administration
No Unions
Less grandiose facilities
Focused curricula
No Featherbedding administration.
Public schools are nothing but indoctrination centers, anyone with the means to have their children attend private schools yet sends them to public schools is engaging in child abuse as far as I am concerned...
And that was before they said your daughters will have to put up with boys in their restrooms and locker rooms.
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