Evaluating Public Schools

Public education has gotten a bit of a bad rap in recent decades, as many families are exploring other education options, like homeschooling, private schools, and charter schools. However, public schools still serve a significant role in preparing the next generation of world leaders. Check out these 10 potential advantages a public school education can provide.

Cost

The cost of a public education can’t be beaten. Although some parents might complain about the recently added expenses of supplies and participation in sports teams, these schools are still much more budget-friendly than their private counterparts. According to GreatSchools.org, the average tuition for private schools in the United States during the 2016-2017 school year was $19,310. The average cost for a boarding school during that same year was $35,118. Schools affiliated with the National Association of Independent Schools charged even more.

This video looks at the advantages of public schools.

In addition, private schools receive additional funding through private donations. In many cases, this means parents of students at the schools may have to invest time and money in fundraising events throughout the year. While public schools also participate in fundraisers, the bulk of their funding still comes from federal, state, and local government sources.

Availability

Public schools provide access to education for every child in a community. The Huffington Post notes that by law, public schools cannot turn students

A new study shows that while charter schools are making significant gains in their performance, they are not exceeding public schools in most areas of the country. In addition, the study found vast variations in the quality of public school throughout the nation, with charters in some states outperforming traditional schools and charters in other states falling sadly behind. As interest in charter schools continues to grow, many are looking at studies like this with interest to determine whether these non-traditional schools can pull their weight in the public school system.

Taking a Closer Look at Charter Schools

The Washington Post reports that the latest study was conducted by researchers at Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). Researchers analyzed test data for schools in 26 states and the District of Columbia to compare the performance of charter schools to that of traditional public schools. To obtain the most accurate comparisons, charter school students were compared directly to a “virtual twin” - a composite of seven students from a nearby school with similar demographics to the charter school student.

This video looks at the question of whether charter schools are better than public schools.

Like traditional public schools, public charter schools are funded with tax dollars. However, unlike traditional schools, charters do not have to follow the guidelines and curriculum standards required by the local school system. Most charters

Families often choose the location of their next home based on where their children will go to school. As the focus on school performance has become more astute, thanks to a rising emphasis on test scores and completion rates, home shoppers have become more cautious in their selections as well. Do schools directly affect home values in a neighborhood? The answer may depend on where you are shopping for your next home.

Home Values and School Spending

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, there is a definite correlation between school expenditures and home values in any given neighborhood. A report titled “Using Market Valuation to Assess Public School Spending” found that for every dollar spent on public schools in a community, home values increased by $20. These findings indicate that additional school expenditures may benefit everyone in the community, whether or not those residents have children in the local public school system.

This video outlines the correlation between good schools and home prices.

While the findings of this national study are compelling, they do not paint a complete picture of the link between school spending and home values. According to the website, some school districts may operate more efficiently, so while expenditures are lower, the quality of education is still high. In addition, the district's size or proximity of schools from neighboring districts could impact the perception of a specific school’s

Our Directory of Foreign Language Immersion Programs, lists the elementary and secondary schools around the United States which have a curriculum to include teaching of a second language. We have used categories like Complete Immersion, Partial Immersion, and Two-way Immersion programs to prepare the directory. This article is aimed at students with English as their native language. It encourages bilingualism among students and works excellently towards developing progressive cognitive skills.

We have divided the resources into four groups to help you find exactly what you want.

General

General Foreign Language Immersion Programs - This is an article with the most comprehensive list of websites. Here you can learn everything about language immersion programs, prepared by a Director of Foreign Language Education Center for Applied Linguistics. The site has great information about the features and trends of immersion programs over the years.

Benefits of Language Immersion - This website contains useful information about academic, educational, economic and socio-cultural benefits of language immersion programs.

Language Immersion and Language Study Abroad Programs - Here you will find an excellent list and information about schools or institutions offering total immersion programs across the best destinations around the world.

Centre for Applied Linguistics - This website discusses various points about language immersion programs like: The goal of an immersion program, its effect on verbal English, keys to a successful immersion program, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.

Two-way immersion programs

Two-Way Immersion Kindergarten

U.S. News has released its newest ranking of the top-performing public high schools in the country. The rankings are compiled by the news publication annually to help students and parents discover the best high school choices in their states. Rankings are determined by a precise set of criteria that looks at student performance and college readiness. A special look is taken at how well a high school serves its least-advantaged students in these areas.

The Method Behind the Research

To assess thousands of schools throughout the United States, U.S. News teams up with the American Institutes for Research. This DC-based organization is considered a foremost authority on behavioral and social sciences research across the globe. AIR is responsible for the new criteria utilized by U.S. News this year, which were based on the idea that top schools should effectively serve all the students in their population. This explains the specific examination of student performance by disadvantaged students at each school.

Researchers perused data from more than 21,000 high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia. States had to provide adequate data and 12-grade enrollment to be included in the rankings. Nebraska did not submit sufficient data on the state’s high schools to be considered. Rankings were completed on a statewide and national basis, to provide the best framework for parents and students who use the rankings to choose the best local high school for their needs.

This video reports on the rankings for 2018.