Private Schools in the United States: A Statistical Profile, 1993-94 / Goals, Expectations, Climate, and Outcomes

Goals, Expectations, Climates, and Outcomes

The principals most important educational goals differ between types of school: religious development in religiously oriented schools; literacy and excellence in regular nonsectarian private schools; growth of self-esteem in other nonsectarian schools; and literacy in public schools (table 4.1).
Teachers and principals perceptions of school climate in private schools are that there are fewer problems than their counterparts in public schools see, especially with respect to basic standards (i.e., substance abuse, preg- nancy, dropping out, having a sense of community), and respect for both teachers and students (table 4.3 and table 4.4).
Although course requirements for graduation are fairly similar across schools, on average, private secondary schools tend to require more years of foreign language for graduation (1.2 years vs. 0.3 years). This is esp- cially true for Episcopal schools, Hebrew Day and other Jewish schools, and NAIS member schools. Because many public high schools do not require study of a foreign language for graduation, the requirement for foreign language in public high schools averages less than one semester (table 4.6).
Three-quarters of 12th-grade students in private schools apply to college, compared to half of the 12th graders at public schools. In Catholic schools the figure is 90 percent, and in NAIS schools it is 95 percent (table 4.5).