Private Schools

In the United States, three types of K-12 schooling exist: public, private, and homeschooling. Almost all U.S. students attend school within one of the first two sectors. The majority of students are enrolled in the public sector but private school students make up a significant portion of the school-going population, accounting for approximately 10 percent of all students and about 25 percent of all schools. In the United States there has been sustained debate regarding the extent to which private schools provide academic advantages to students above and beyond the entering characteristics of students. Little research, however, takes into account the full range of private school options available in the United States. Private schools vary dramatically by location, affiliation, mission, students served, organization, and institutional ...