Saturday, November 16, 2019
The Rise of Private High Schools Essay Example for Free
The Rise of Private High Schools Essay Intro For hundreds of years high school education has been the responsibility of the state. Yet, in no time in history did government become so fully involved in adolescent education as after the Second World War. The era of big government would mean big spending in various social programs, one of the most important of which would be education. Groundbreaking advances would be seen in the instruction of various areas of education previously ignored, such as music, art and sports. Along with this involvement in the lives of their children came parents faith that in countries such as Canada and the United States, public education, most specifically high school education, would lay the ground work for a secure and prosperous future for the future adults of the nation.  It was only towards the end of the Cold War that globalization accompanied by neo-liberal economics would force Canadians to re-examine their public high schools.            The increasing importance of changing technology coupled with the general decline of public schools has caused us to look with greater skepticism upon governments ability to manage the school system in the present day. It is for these very reasons that parents have become more open to the advantages of private education. Despite the fact that public high schools are still largely in the hands of government in the last twenty years, we have seen a significant growth in private institution attendance. The purpose of this work is to discuss the rise of private high school education and discuss its possible future. Literature Review Current literature supports the decline of the public high school and the rise in importance of the private school.  Aurini and Davies (2004, 2007) have done indepth investigation on areas of private schooling in Ontario such as private tutoring and home schooling and throughout their readings have upheld that private education is on the rise. Aurini (2004) in her experience as a private tutor and in her subsequent investigation into private education has seen a notable rise in important of private education, most specifically with attitudes towards parents. In fact Aurini (2006) goes to far as to say that appearance of private education has resulted in the re-molding of public education.            Although it is clear that studies are showing the rising importance of private education they are also outlining why this is occurring. Geiger (1994) clearly holds the belief that the globalized world and the resultant increase of demands on students and schools to keep up with technological advances is overwhelming for public schools and shrinking education budgets. Davies (1999) adds to this argument in his analysis of religious groups and the growing acceptance by governments of their demands. Whereas twenty years ago their was a much more melting-pot mentality surrounding different demands for schooling, with the growth of individualism world wide so comes the growth of individual education. There are numerous liberal minded authors such as Finn who believe that the answers to these problems can be given by the market. The constant push by some scholars to consistently patch up public school problems are rejected by Finn. He believes a more radical change is necessary to clean up public schools.            Yet, many authors continue to believe in the public school system and contend that it is an essential part of democracy and equality in a nation. Fotopoulos (2004) claims that while individuals live in society, they are in fact social individuals and that one of the most proven methods of making them part of society is through a public school system. Yet, other than increase school budgets it becomes more and more difficult to find solutions to the public school systems problems. Cowley (2001), in exasperation states, â€Å"while there is agreement about the need for better schools, there is no agreement about how to improve our schools.† Growth of Private Education Various forms of private education have expanded in impressive numbers in the Western world over the past two centuries. What was once thought of as a luxury or an innecessity by many parents is now being reconsidered as a viable and safe option. Canada is not the exception, although it is a notable example of how private education entities are making headway. Davies and Aurini (2004) claim that enrollment in private schools in Canada has gone from 5% to 6% during the past decade (p. 420). Although the number in appearance may seem small it translates to a 20% growth for private schools. In Ontario the growth is even more staggering and reached 40% with a total of 750 schools in the province (Davies and Aurini, p. 420). Private education is gaining importance with parents of both younger and older students. This is clearly seen in the expansion of Montessori schools as well as proprietary vocational colleges (Aurini and Davies, 2004). In addition we should not forget about the growth of private tutoring and home schooling. Apart from the growth of private institutions it is important to take into consideration perceptions of private versus public education. A survey taken last year found that â€Å"46% of parents would prefer to send their school age children to private schools, while 60% of Ontarians agreed with the phrase ‘private school students receive a much better education than public school students’†(Aurini, 2006, p. 108)  Trouble in Public Education As previously mentioned private education, until recently, has taken the back seat the overwhelming importance of government lead education. An understanding of public education today and all its faults requires that we understand its history. At the turn of the century we saw a significant rise in big government, specifically in Canada. The culture and society that revolved around the welfare state of the post-WWII period clearly supported governments incursion into the fields of education and health, to name a few. Parents placing their children in the hands of the state held the general belief that the schools would do their best to provide equal opportunity and social mobility. Private schools were seen to fall in the realm of those who could afford their astronomical prices. Most often private schools were identified with religion and the upper classes. Gabbard (2004) states that public schools in American society have held such responsibilities as â€Å"equalizing gender and racial inequalities, providing the knowledge and skills that give everyone an equal opportunity to experience the ‘American Dream,’ producing a workforce with skills that enable U.S. corporations to compete effectively in the global marketplace, and preparing citizens to be effective participants in a democratic society†(p. 3).  There was a common desire to believe that â€Å"schools strengthen our democracy, [and] our ability to meaningfully participate in the decision-making processes that impact our communities and our lives†(Gabbard, 2004, p. 3). Whether or not public schools are still up to this task is one of the terrible questions we must ask ourselves. Indeed, what has always been a monumental task has been further been burdened by the nature of our increasingly global, increasingly technology based and increasingly competitive society. Geiger (1994) claims, â€Å"To succeed in the 21st century, today’s students must graduate with more than knowledge of the past. They must have the ability to synthesize and analyze new information, think for themselves, and adapt quickly to a world where change in the constant†(p. 63). The technological tools that are present in almost all forms of work are often not found in public schools (Geiger, 1994). Trouble in High Schools Clearly high schools are facing challenges they have not had to face in the past fifty years or that maybe they never have had to face. Run-down buildings, over-crowded classes, school violence, and poor rural support are only some of the problems on the long list any teacher, parent or school administrator could give you. There seems to be less schools than ever. One report shows that,         A complete restructuring of high school facilities is needed, as the current design pushes teenagers into an environment contrary to the way they learn. The first and most important change should be a reduction in the size of high schools. Research has shown that students have better attendance, are less likely to drop out, exhibit fewer discipline problems, and perform better when attending a smaller high school†(Hall and Handly, 2004, p. 21). An even more preoccupying problem is that of violence at school. The last few centuries has witnessed an increase in attacks of rage and a significantly more violent atmosphere. One administrator claims that, â€Å"It was only after many years of experience and investigation that we began to understand the degree of rage todays teenagers feel and how the school system is failing them, not only academically but in just about every imaginable way†(Hall and Handly, 2004, p. 21).            While urban schools are plagued by violence and over-crowded classrooms many rural Ontario schools are lacking in basic material resources. Low school funding seems to be a problem best known to northern boards and rural Ontario boards (Trouble in, 2004). A study done by The People for Education shows that â€Å"Ontario’s smaller schools are less likely to have librarians or guidance counsellors, music teachers or physical education teachers. And they are much more likely to be threatened with closing†(Trouble in, 2004) . Neo-liberal education There is no doubt that current international focus on liberal economics and globalization has a significant say in where public high schools stand and where they are headed to go. Neo-liberal and conservative ideology clearly hold the idea that most government run enterprises are bound to get caught up in inefficiency and become labeled as inadequate. Davies and Aurini (2004) claim that â€Å"The profit motive and need to compete for student-clients is said to provide powerful incentives to improve educational services. Since such incentives do not exist in large public bureaucracies, educational businesses are more likely to deliver real results, according to advocates.†This has resulted in a rising importance of educational entrepreneurialism, mostly brought on by the changing nature of schooling and pressures in the global market place. According to Aurini (2004) the market, as in so many areas of society, including healthcare, is attempting to weed out insufficient agents. She states that, â€Å"The belief that competition and de-bureaucratization encourages accountability, efficiency and consumer responsiveness†(p. 476). In addition she claims that, â€Å"For market advocates, public schools’ monopoly status and bureaucratized form and the presence of teacher’s professional associations foster apathy and mediocrity to the detriment of education consumers†(p. 476). In the presence of competition public education entities may have to admit that they no longer enjoy a monopoly.  Finn states that, â€Å"If schools want students and the dollars that accompany them, they must attract those students, and in order to attract them they have to provide quality education.† In addition, some research suggests that business in education is resulting in the adoption of these same practices by public institutions (Davies and Aurini, 2004). At the core of the argument is the belief that the market and forces of the market provide better education because the private businesses have to compete with each other. Tutoring: A Growing Industry The significant growth of one sector of private education in particular provides us with significant insight on how private education has progressed over the last years. While in the past private tutoring enterprises consisted of test-prep centers and moonlighting teachers they have now evolved into private tutoring services that may include preschool programs, math and reading classes, and writing and public peaking programs (Aurini, 2004, p. 478). Aurini (2004) claims these entities are a highly evolved form of tutoring, these businesses are often developed as franchises or morph into comprehensive private schools. Aurini (2004) in her two year study of private tutoring institutions in Ontario Canada shows that the significant rise in private tutoring shows a clear shift from public to private education. According to studies the percentage of Ontario parents requesting private tutoring for their school age children has gone up from 17% in 1997 to 24% in 2003 (Aurini 2004). In addition, the number of formal businesses that offer fuller tutoring services has grown between 200%-500% in major Canadian cities over the past 30 years, a growth that is independent of public school enrolments or economic trends (Davies and Aurini, 2004, p. 422).            In a further study done on tutoring franchises tutoring businesses are shown to be standardizing and broadening their services through franchises. In the form of what are being called learning centers, â€Å"franchises are increasingly transcending old-style test prep and homework support, and are bundling together a variety of offerings that sometimes encroach upon public school practices. A result is that learning centres are becoming increasingly school-like by providing an alternative to public education, rather than a mere supplement†(Aurini and Davies, 204, p. 419).  They attribute this expansion to the fact that franchising is the next obvious step in a successful business and they add that, â€Å"Service industries with many franchises such as coffee and fast food have likely grown much faster than industries marked mainly by a series of small independents† (Davies and Aurini, 204, p. 423). As high school students are one of the largest groups using tutoring services, this subtle shift from public to private education is bound to have long-term consequences. Ethnicity and Individualism It has clearly been shown through data and example that private education has made great inroads in the education market, largely due to the failures of High schools and other educational entities to keep up to the demands of our fast paced, technology driven society. It is important to note that while technology is clearly a part of globalism’s demands on high schools, individualism and multiculturalism also play an important role in the weakening of the public high schools.            While in the past it was common for religious groups to make demands on public government on term of their religion, it is now common for ethnic groups to make these same demands. Davies (1999) states that, â€Å"Rather than presenting their cause as religious revivalism and morality in public education terms with little efficacy in todays political culture-the coalitions are evoking the idioms of multiculturalism, minority rights, and school choice†(p. 3). Some religious groups have requested that Quebec, â€Å"embrace the reality of group based diversity in its schools, and they couch this tenet in the language of multiculturalism. The coalitions are united in an understanding of multiculturalism in which religious minority communities require separate education†(Davies 1999, p. 15).            Although Canada had never been the melting pot that the United States has been education has been fairly homogeneous. This is important because it shows the growing importance on individuality in Canada’s education system. In Canada this is particularly important as one of the country’s core tenets has been unity in diversity. Canada’s long standing respect for cultures has been a core element of its foundation from the beginning. Having Quebec as an outspoken and integral culture within Canada may have even sensitized us to an even greater extent than other western countries. That these demands may not be met by public high schools is of course essential to the legitimization of private schools. Intensive Parenting and Individual Children Canadians are having less and less children. Whereas in the past families consisted of an average of three children many couples are opting to have one or two children. This most likely is as a result of global factors and heightened individualism in parents living in an extremely materialist society. The result of global parents and less children is an intensive style of parenting that requires them to be present in every aspect of their child’s life. The psychology, health and education of Canadian children is under a microscopic lens. Private institutions cater to this new breed of parent using such slogans as calls â€Å"to ‘develop you child’s gifts and talents’†(Aurini and Davies, 2004, p. 420). Customized education is guaranteed to secure your child with a future in a global economy that seems to becoming increasingly competitive and fast paced.  As Aurini and Davies have observed â€Å"education has become the medium to advance upon or maintain a socioeconomic position as economic prospects for those without credentials deteriorate. Higher education is increasingly sought after throughout Canada†(Davies and Aurini, 2004, p. 420). They add that this is â€Å"creating a generalized culture of educational competition. From younger ages, more youth are being encouraged to view school as a competitive arena in which they must strive to get ahead†(Aurini and Davies, 2004, p. 420). The most obvious result of this is the re-entry of schooling into many homes. The number of home schooled children has increased in significant amounts over the last years. Aurini and Davies (2007) claim that while years ago home schooling was â€Å"dominated by a coalition of religious fundamentalists and experimental ‘unschoolers’ a variety of subgroups are now emerging, with very different goals that range from nurturing minority identities, to meeting special educational needs, to simply seeking a superior form of education†(p. 462). While home schooling only affects 2% of students in Ontario it is â€Å"‘shedding its image as a social or educational aberration’†(Aurini and Davies, 2007, p. 462). In addition, while home schooling was badly seen for many years, most specifically with regard to its legal standing, recent legislature have given it a new level of legitimacy. These new policies allow boards of education to â€Å"deem that children are receiving satisfactory instruction at home simply by accepting notification from parents† (Aurini and Davies, 2007, p. 4).  In addition the provincial government no longer asks home schoolers to strictly adhere to traditional schooling methodes, and now recognize home schooling as an adequate alternative to that taught at public schools. While many scholars argue that home schooling is a result of government intervention and badly run schools Aurini and Davies take a different stand point. Clearly the neo-liberal outlook on home schooling is that a badly funded and organized public schools are not providing children with the education that parents would like them to have. A second explanation is that a fast paced economy is requiring a different type of education for its future workers.  According to this argument, â€Å"the ‘new economy’ is raising credential requirements and intensifying labor market competition†(Aurini and Davies, 2007, p. 4). Aurini and Davies (2007) argue that the distinctive trait of home-schooling has to do with the ability of children to better express themselves in a home environment. They claim that, â€Å"rather than seek instrumental advantages, many of its practitioners aim to remove children from market (and bureaucratic) settings, reasoning that they are too precious to be entrusted to the care of others†(p. 4) What Can be Done? Canadian public high schools are no doubt moving into an era where shrinking budgets and mounting outside pressures are causing numerous problems within. Schools are in disrepair, teachers are underpaid, and classes are overflowing. Cowley (2001) states in frustration that, â€Å"Parents want better schools. Students want better schools. Teachers, counsellors, principals, superintendents, members of local school boards, and officials in the Ministry of Education want better schools. Taxpayers and employers want better schools.†           And we may well be going in a vicious circle. It is clear that high schools and other public schools need more money to keep up. Finn states that the call is the same every year. It is for â€Å"smaller classes, more teachers, more teacher training, more technology, more special programs, more hours in the day, more days in the year, et cetera.†He further claims that â€Å"In both Canada and the United States, this has long been our chief approach to making schools better. It is like our chief approach to making lots of things better: install a larger engine, replace the tires, and add more chrome.†  Yet, how is this possible when in the example of the United States per pupil spending has tripled since the 1950s (Finn).            Public schools have had no choice and will have no choice but to change to meet ever increasing demands placed upon them. And as they change the private schools will become more and more necessary to parents seeking the education that their children need to survive in the future. Some believe that the very creation of private schools will force and overall change in education on both ends. Autini (2006) believes that the advent of private education has resulted in the re-molding of public education. The interjection of private schools onto the field of education has resulted in the altering of old public school tenets. While private education entities adopt public school models such as credentialed teachers, age-defined grades and courses such as math and science they, â€Å"are also seen to ‘loosely couple’ by avoiding stark performance indicators such as standardized tests and y embracing broad, often vague goals such as socialization and inclusion†(Aurini, 2006, p. 83). In addition, â€Å"these strategies permit schools to integrate a variety of objectives and ward off inspection that would otherwise expose inefficiencies and inconsistencies†(p. 84). Private educators legitimize these alterations by relying on arguments of increased individualism and technical advances (Aurini, 2006, p. 83). They claim to be satisfying consumer demand for more individual education programs.            It is also important to note that many private high schools have not been successful when competing with public schools (Aurini and Davies, 2004, p. 423). In fact the history of performance contractors is sometimes one of â€Å"rapid ascent quickly followed by failure†(Aurini and Davies, 2004, p. 423). It appears as though business are more successful when they don’t have to come up against public, free educational options such as preschools, colleges and private tutoring enterprises. As tutoring is a form of supplementary education that does not compete directly with public schools it is exempt from this type of market competition from public schools (Aurini and Davies, 2004). This of course is important to take into consideration when discussing high schools in Ontario, which remain over 90% public.             Conclusion Whether private high schools are successful or not it is clear that they are not only affecting the market but the whole of the education system in Canada. Their rise in the previous years from institutions created with skepticism to viable alternatives to public education is significant. Clearly the degradation of public high schools is closely linked to the neo-liberal economic model calling for less government and more markets. It is a model that claims to know the answers to our future and to the future of our children. Market competition will make for a better school system with more individual choices. Private high schools mix well with the current individualistic tendencies shown in parents and students and which so clearly fit in with the core tenets espoused by private institutions. As we have seen in this work private high schools are not always the best high schools, neither socially nor economically. The best schools may be the ones that allow for the greatest insertion into our ever-changing society by it’s students. Fotopoulos, in an (2004) claims that, culture in general and education in particular play a crucial role in the determination of individual and collective values. This is because as long as individuals live in a society, they are not just individuals but social individuals, subject to a process that socializes them and induces them to internalize the existing institutional framework and the dominant social paradigm. (p.15) Social apt students are often the most successful students. It might be relevant to discuss just how much individualism is good for us, our society and our schools. References Aurini, J. (2006). Crafting Legitimation Projects: An Institutional Analysis of Private     Education Businesses. Sociological Forum 21, 83-111 Aurini, J. (2004). Educational Entrepreneurialism in the Private Tutoring Industry:    Balancing Profitablity with the Humanistic Face of Schooling.  The Canadian Review of    Sociology and Anthropology 41, 475-492. Aurini, J Davies, S. (2007) Choice without markets: homeschooling in the context of    private education British Journal of Sociology of Education 26, 461 474 Aurini, J Davies, S. (2004). The transformation of private tutoring: education in a    franchise form. Canadian Journal of Sociology 29, 419- Cowley, P. (2001).  Report Card on Ontarios Secondary Schools: 2001 Edition. The    Fraser Institute http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/readmore.asp?sNav=pbid=239 Davies, S. (1999). From Moral Duty to Cultural Rights: A Case Study of Political    Framing in Education Sociology of Education 72, 1-21. Finn, C. (2001) â€Å"Reinventing Public Education Via the Marketplace.†The Fraser Institute    http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/readmore.asp?sNav=pbid=270 Fotopoulos, T. (2004). Democracy, Paideia and Education: Culture, the Dominant Social    Paradigm, and the Role of Education In Ross, W. E. Defending Public Schools. (15-29).    Westport, CT.:Praeger. Gabbard, D. A. (2004). Welcome to the Desert of the Real: A Brief History of What    Makes Schooling Compulsory In Ross, W.E.  Defending Public Schools. (3-14).    Westport, CT.: Praeger. Geiger, K. (1994). Rethinking American Schools in the Psot-Cold War Era: Introductory    Remarks from the NEA President. Financing Education 33, 63-66 Hall, E. and Handley, R. (2004). High Schools in Crisis: What Every Parent Should    Know Westport, CT.: Praeger Ross, W. E. (2004). General Editors Introduction: Defending Public Schools, Defending    Democracy In Ross, W.E. Defending Public Schools. Westport, CT.: Praeger. 4 Trouble in Ontario’s small schools (2004). People for Education     http://www.peopleforeducation.com/releases/2005/sept21_04.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.