Ask an Expert: Jim Cox and Pat Puleo
Measuring Up: A Parent's Guide to Testing, Grades, and Assessments

I have interviewed teachers and administrators at many schools. Public school administrators say you can get the same education from a public school as you can from a private one. Private-school educators, of course, say private is better. Is there really a difference?

Many parents agonize over this question, and unfortunately there's no easy answer. All schools have their strengths and special programs. Paying for something by writing a check doesn't guarantee a higher level of quality.

Certain regulations, however, do differentiate public from private schools. Public schools can generally meet more individual student needs, because they serve a more diverse clientele. Public school teachers must be certified; private school teachers are not required to hold any certification. Private schools may select their students, and eliminate anyone they choose, for any reason; public schools don't have that option. Public schools are required to test all students and are accountable to their community and to the state for their students' performance; private schools have no such requirement. (Therefore there is no way to compare private schools to each other, or private to public, by using test data.)

To make the best choice for your child, you must know her needs and interests, then find the school that best matches those needs. What are the strengths of the school's program? What does the school plan focus on? What special afterschool activities are available? What are its enrichment opportunities? How does the school serve special-needs students? What does the school offer parents who would like to be involved? Visit the schools, observe classrooms, look at students' work, interview the principals, and visit the classes at all grade levels. You will only know which match is the best by investigating the choices firsthand, not by consulting a school's brochures or test scores.

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