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I'm all for doing whatever we can to improve education, but it is extremely difficult to compare the quality of a education between public and private schools b

I'm all for doing whatever we can to improve education, but it is extremely difficult to compare the quality of a education between public and private schools because of selection bias. Private schools tend to pick and choose the best kids and have significantly higher suspension and expulsion rates eliminating the "problem" children. Public schools on the other hand, have to accept everyone from the hyperactive to those with learning disabilities. When we try to control for these effects, often there is little to no difference between these custom approaches and standard ones. Montessori for instance does customization and outcomes are effectively the same as public schools. I suppose though even if the end result is a cheaper and highly replicable education system, it could become quite successful as a company.

pbreit 12y ago
Isn't the main point of private schools to pay for the selection bias?
brlewis 12y ago
Please cite a source for "Montessori...outcomes are effectively the same as public schools". Here's a study that found the opposite: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/students-prosper-with-mon/ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/students-prosper-w...
- Retric 12y ago
  At the study level sure, you can support any argument, a meta analysis like: http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/dps/pdfs/dp114197.pdf http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/dps/pdfs/dp114197.pdf Generally shows little to no benefit and often points out flaws in individual studies. Indeed, in our data, previous authors’ specifications rarely explain a substantial portion of the selection into the relevant privateschool sector, raising the possibility that the weak-instrument critique may hold for this literature. This point is corroborated in work by Ludwig (1997), who also finds compelling evidence that prior authors’ instruments are weak.
  - brlewis 12y ago
    I expanded my quote "outcomes are effectively the same as public schools" to include more context: "Montessori...outcomes are effectively the same as public schools" The meta analysis you cite makes no mention of Montessori. It's talking exclusively of public vs. private. There are public Montessori schools, and (obviously) non-Montessori private schools.
- Aloisius 12y ago
  Comparison of Academic Achievement Between Montessori and Traditional Education Programs (Journal of Research in Childhood Education, v20 n1 p5 Fall 2005) - http://www.pearweb.org/teaching/pdfs/Schools/Cambridge%20Montessori%20Elementary-Middle%20School/Articles/Montessori%20article.PDF http://www.pearweb.org/teaching/pdfs/Schools/Cambridge%20Mon...

pbreit 12y ago

Isn't the main point of private schools to pay for the selection bias?

brlewis 12y ago

Please cite a source for "Montessori...outcomes are effectively the same as public schools". Here's a study that found the opposite: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/students-prosper-with-mon/ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/students-prosper-w...

Retric 12y ago
At the study level sure, you can support any argument, a meta analysis like: http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/dps/pdfs/dp114197.pdf http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/dps/pdfs/dp114197.pdf Generally shows little to no benefit and often points out flaws in individual studies. Indeed, in our data, previous authors’ specifications rarely explain a substantial portion of the selection into the relevant privateschool sector, raising the possibility that the weak-instrument critique may hold for this literature. This point is corroborated in work by Ludwig (1997), who also finds compelling evidence that prior authors’ instruments are weak.
- brlewis 12y ago
  I expanded my quote "outcomes are effectively the same as public schools" to include more context: "Montessori...outcomes are effectively the same as public schools" The meta analysis you cite makes no mention of Montessori. It's talking exclusively of public vs. private. There are public Montessori schools, and (obviously) non-Montessori private schools.
Aloisius 12y ago
Comparison of Academic Achievement Between Montessori and Traditional Education Programs (Journal of Research in Childhood Education, v20 n1 p5 Fall 2005) - http://www.pearweb.org/teaching/pdfs/Schools/Cambridge%20Montessori%20Elementary-Middle%20School/Articles/Montessori%20article.PDF http://www.pearweb.org/teaching/pdfs/Schools/Cambridge%20Mon...