Eng-111
Ms. Jennings
21 NOV 12
Public Schools are Becoming Top Contenders Public schools are an icon of America; a large majority of students attend them. It is easy to look at the most underperforming public schools and conclude that the public school system is flawed and failing our students. Americans today tend to believe that private schools are better than public schools. It is often said that if your child attends a private school they will have received a better education. However, there are numerous triumphs of public education. Most notable advantages of public schools are that their easily accessible, their diversity, and their accommodations. The public school system had shown a lot of positivity influence to advance its students and has regained the parents support. Public schools get their money from a mixture of local, state, and federal level. Paying tuition, which can easily dissuade parents, is not a hindrance in public school. In the documentary “Superman” one of the parents had to pull her child out of a private school due to tuition cost not being paid; whereas attending public schools there is no tuition, it is free. In the Article “What Makes a School Great: A Call to Action for Public School” It talks about the public schools being offered 4.45 billion in stimulus money to get them to rationalize their system. According to The Council for American Private Education the average cost of tuition is 8,549 per year. This study included religious, secular, private, elementary, and secondary schools cost. In comparison to collegiate prices, private tuition may seem rather low, but according to the United States Census Bureau (2012), the median household income is $51,914, to send a child to private school is unreasonable. Tuition is only rising merely adding to the problem. Ideally public schools are very plentiful and available to all that want to attend. Public schools being available to all students for free have made public schools top contenders for parents who have to make hard decisions on how to pay for their students to attend private school. Additionally public schools provide transportation that is also free to students instead of having parents to provide their own. Another proponent of the public school system is the diversity of the student population. The increase of diversity in public schools is beneficial to students in this global economy. In this global world, recognizing similarities between different races and cultures and learning to respect and enjoy them is vital. Students who attend schools with a diverse population can develop an understanding of the perspectives of students from different backgrounds and learn to function in a multicultural, multiethnic environment. Whereas in private schools the students only tend to be around more kids like themselves. A 2007 study by public Agenda and The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality found that 76 % of new teachers have been trained to teach an ethnically diverse student body. Parents that have their children attend a school with a diverse student body can help prepare their child for citizenship in a multicultural democracy. Public school accommodations have risen within the past few years. Though many parents are worried about schools being overcrowded, the schools are being built bigger and better. The schools are big enough to make the classrooms smaller. The teacher student ratios are becoming more to the likings of the parents. Another primary motivation for parents choosing public schools is students with disabilities are being over looked in majority of private schools. Parents that have children with physical or learning disabilities have far few choices when choosing a school for their child to attend. Ultimately public schools provide reasonable amounts of space and help for students who have any sort of disability. Another primary motivation for parents is that private schools who have students that lag behind are counseled out or kicked out of school, instead of being helped While it is certainly true that private school may seem to sound like the best when choosing a good school for your child, public schools have more tolerance and experience for teaching students with learning disabilities. An article by Nora Carr “Promoting Public Schools” suggests public school offer the same programs as private school. The Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas is cited as a specific example for its “Gold Seal” campaign, which markets the district’s college and career preparation progress through public education. Other topics covered include marketing campaign by the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) in Michigan, which advertises to get more students to attend public schools. Public education does have several strengths. Many facts concerning academic achievement indicate the success of America’s students when educational opportunities are extended to all children. Public education is winning parents over when it comes to choosing a good school for their child. The successes is rising and gaining parents beliefs with the schools availability to everyone, indirectly teaching students about diversity, and gives a greater degree of help to those with learning disabilities compared to the average private school.

Works Cited
Amanda Ripley Time Magazine “What Makes a School Great: A Call to Action for Public Schools.” September 16, 2010
Amanda Ripley, long time staff writer for the New York Times, grew up in New Jersey. Her article represents the idea that charter schools are not the answer. It reflects and talks about the disadvantages of private and charter schools
Carr, Nora. “Promoting Public Schools.”American School Board Journal 199.8 (2012) 32-33. Academic Search complete.web. 20 Nov. 2012 Nora Carr, the chief staff for Guilford County Schools noted experience in strategic planning, communications, and changed management that would help promote public education.
Nir, S. (2011).Private Schools “Counsel Out” the Unsuccessful; The New York Times, 2.
United States Census Bureau. (2012).