Posted on 04/22/2013 8:54:12 AM PDT by xzins
Private religious schools perform better than public schools, and public charter schools performed no better than regular public schools, according to a new study by William Jeynes, professor of education at California State University at Long Beach and senior fellow at the Witherspoon Institute at Princeton.
Jeynes spoke Monday with The Christian Post about the study. He found that religious, mostly Christian, school students were a full year ahead of students who attend public and charter schools.
The results of his research were recently published in vol. 87, issue 3 of the Peabody Journal of Education in an article titled, "A Meta-Analysis on the Effects and Contributions of Public, Public Charter, and Religious Schools on Student Outcomes," and were presented last month in a speech for Notre Dame University faculty.
Jeynes used a research method called a "meta-analysis," which utilizes very large data sets by combining the data from many different studies. Most of the studies used test scores to measure student performance, but there were some other measures, such as grade point average and teacher ratings, as well.
The research uses four different models to show how the outcomes might change using different control variables. Some might argue, for instance, that students at religious schools do better because their parents are more involved in their education, not because the schools are better. Jeynes, therefore, controlled for this "selection effect." Religious schools still perform better, though, even when controlling for parental involvement.
Religious school principals, though, have told Jeynes that they believe parental involvement should not be controlled for because parental involvement is something that is highly emphasized at religious schools. Indeed, some religious schools require parents to sign a consent acknowledging the involvement that is expected of them.
Jeynes controlled for other variables as well, such as socioeconomic status, gender and race. When all the control variables are factored in, the study found that students at religious schools still have a seven to eight month advantage over students at public and charter schools.
Jeynes found that there were several reasons that religious schools do better. At religious schools, the students are encouraged to take difficult courses much more frequently and they have a "can do attitude," Jeynes explained, epitomized by the saying, "God doesn't make junk." Religious schools place higher expectations upon their students and send the message that they have the ability to go to college.
Jeynes also found a greater reduction in the class and race based "achievement gaps." Poor students and black and Latino students perform worse, on average, than students from middle-income, or higher, families, and white and Asian students. This achievement gap is lower in religious schools.
Some other factors that are more difficult to measure may also be at work, Jeynes added. Some argue, for instance, that the "school culture" or "social capital" at religious schools contribute to their better performance. There is respect shown for teachers and fellow students, and more racial harmony, for instance, as part of the culture of many religious schools.
Additionally, Jeynes found that the differences on behavioral measures were even greater than the academic differences. Students at religious schools were less likely, for instance, to get suspended, get into fights, do drugs, and get involved in bullying. These students also showed more respect for teachers.
Once difference that some, such as Jeynes, believe is an advantage for public schools is that public school teachers are more apt to demonstrate more flexibility with students expressing their own opinions.
"Faith-based schools are more likely to view teachers as the one who imparts truth, whereas public schools are more likely to view the teacher as facilitator," Jeynes said. "I'm in favor of classroom flexibility ... [but] classroom flexibility is associated with somewhat lower academic achievement."
Jeynes is not sure why that is, but hypothesizes that "in an environment in which opinions are encouraged ... students might be allowed to maintain opinions that are inaccurate."
Jeynes did not look at homeschooled students for this study, but has studied them in the past. His previous studies have shown that homeschooled students do even better than religious school students. Homeschooled students have several advantages over public and religious schools.
Students in general do better with high parental involvement and small class sizes. Homeschools, obviously, have the highest level of parental involvement and the smallest class sizes. Also, in a traditional school classroom, teachers may have to move on to a different topic before not all of their students have mastered the topic. In a homeschool, the parent/teacher can stick with a skill or topic until the student has mastered it, then move on. That is a "huge advantage," Jeynes said.
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-religious-schools-perform-better-than-public-charter-schools-93597/#UjTCEGPZGtkmitsJ.99
That said, this is certainly positive for religious and homeschoolers:
The research uses four different models to show how the outcomes might change using different control variables. Some might argue, for instance, that students at religious schools do better because their parents are more involved in their education, not because the schools are better. Jeynes, therefore, controlled for this "selection effect." Religious schools still perform better, though, even when controlling for parental involvement.Religious school principals, though, have told Jeynes that they believe parental involvement should not be controlled for because parental involvement is something that is highly emphasized at religious schools. Indeed, some religious schools require parents to sign a consent acknowledging the involvement that is expected of them.
Jeynes controlled for other variables as well, such as socioeconomic status, gender and race. When all the control variables are factored in, the study found that students at religious schools still have a seven to eight month advantage over students at public and charter schools.
She's never been exposed to that before.
"When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing — they believe in anything" --G K Chesterton
“The one thing I’d like to see controlled for is that public schools are required by law to take disruptive and low-functioning kids, and they are required NOT to track students into ability level classes.”
Ability level tracking is logical.
But of course, liberals are not logical. Ever.
Why not just have public schools for the losers and religious schools for the rest.
By “religious schools”, I specifically exclude Islam.
They needed a study to figure that out?
Researchers were out of Cal State and Princeton, so...yeah.
I guess they had to prove it to themselves.
My wife, a high school level math teacher says tracking is so important in her field, and so obvious in her field, but that the true believers running education absolutely refuse to look at facts.
History probably doesn't make much difference if you track or not, but one level or another of student is going to be hurt if you insist on it in math.
The public school system needs a local alternative school that works with troubled, truant and disruptive youngsters. These alternative schools would be staffed by retired military E7 and E8’s. Also first rate teachers would be assigned to these schools.
Religious and home schools tend to teach moral behavior.
Government schools teach immoral behavior.
The standards, disciplines, practices, and expectations that are practiced routinely in religious schools today used to be common in the public schools as well. Slowly but surely, they were eroded by endless waves of “reform” in the name of diversity, inclusion, etc.
But the truth is, the old model worked better than the new model, at least if excellence is the goal.
It’s interesting today to watch public school systems work desperately to reinstitute ability tracking in ways that slip under the radar screen of the pc thought police. In this area (DC), AP classes and IB programs are popping up faster than one can keep track. On good days, I’m optimistic.
Yahtzee!
That was back in the good old days though, when teachers were made of blue twisted steel.
“If you want to wage war on the public schools, you’re attacking the mortar that holds the community together. You’re not a Conservative, you’re a vandal.” - Garrison Keillor
(not quoted with approbation)
Garrison is wrong: families and churches hold the community together.
My children go to a Christian school that teaches a curriculum that the public schools would consider old fashioned. They memorize math, learn to read in preschool and kindergarten, and they learn to write in cursive before they learn to print. They are also teach about God and faith, which is central to the curriculum. They say the pledge of allegiance every morning. I would say that my children are AT LEAST a full year ahead of their peers who attend public school. All of the kids are exceptionally well behaved and kind. And the best thing that would really irritate the liberals is that they have very racially diverse classes. All of the kids learn and do very well, even those who speak English as a second language.
It’s been a sacrifice for us to send them to a good school, but it’s been well worth it.
Achtung, studenten - Behavior vill haf consequences, JA!
As a school friend of mine said, Forget “Beware the Ides of March”, “Beware the Penguins and their yardsticks.” Poor boy went to a Catholic school - and grew up to be a Conservative.
My reply to FB acquaintance who posted Keillor’s quote:
The FAMILY, sir. The FAMILY is the ultimate builder of civil societies. Not public schools, well-intended as they may be. Keillor may be a respected author, entertainer, and humorist, but he’s wrong on this subject if this is what he truly believes. Why is it that so many public schools today do not honor the office of parents, teaching the very opposite of what responsible parents are to teach? The Ten Commandments are virtually banned from public schools, and yet these are precisely the starting point our Creator has in teaching all mankind.
Mega LOLs!! Leftie know-it-alls at work!
It is belief in the principles of the Declaration of Independence that hold the. Oh try together. Liber are the true vandals.
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