Low incomes, high standards : Can private schools make a difference for low income families?

Comparing the survey responses of Chil- junior kindergarten to grade eight, and have a household dren First recipients to the responses of the latter group income of less than twice the poverty line, as defined forms the basis of this study’s insights into the effects of by the Basic Needs Index. [...] The study then compares the surveyed, in which all children were attending the same satisfaction levels of parents in the public school sub- kind of school (i.e., independent or public).6 The remain- group with those of parents who sent their children to ing 25 families either homeschooled their children, or an independent school, either with or without a Children did not have all of their school- [...] Sixty-nine percent of the administrators at their child’s school, 60% of Children Children First group and 73% of the independent school First parents and 50% of the comparison group gave their group gave their schools an “A” grade, compared with schools an “A.” 19% of the public school group. [...] As shown in figure 1.2, pendent school group gave the academic quality of their parents in the independent school group reported the children’s schools an average score of 4.7, while the public highest level of satisfaction (67% of respondents gave school group gave their schools an average score of 3.7. [...] In comparison, 22% of the public Of all the indicators in this section, academic qual- school group gave their schools an “A.” ity received the strongest grades from the Children First On average, the Children First group gave their and independent school groups, and reflects a very high schools a score of 4.5, while the independent school level of satisfaction with the academic quality of inde- g