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Study: City parents prefer private schools over public
By Kevin Rothstein
Tuesday, November 2, 2004Nearly half of urban parents of children in underperforming schools would rather send their charges to private school than another public or charter school, a new study says.
The conservative Pioneer Institute's survey found that 45 percent of parents would prefer private school so long as cost is no object - an important distinction, said author William G. Howell, a Harvard political science professor.
``It's a hard argument to suggest they want to flee their schools in droves because they believe public schools are failing their kids. It's they're interested in providing choice,'' he said.
The federal No Child Left Behind Act grants parents the right to transfer their child out of a school that hasn't met the U.S. standard for two years in a row. But 71 percent of parents didn't know if their school was in that category.
Boston Public Schools sends letters home telling parents about their rights, so that finding disappointed Boston Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Chris Coxon.
``We actually do a lot to keep parents informed, and I guess this tells us we need to do a better job or look at how we inform parents,'' he said.
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