To the Editor:
The discussion of the competing findings on whether public or private schools produce greater mean achievement (“Data Reanalysis Finds Test-Score Edge for Private Schools,” Aug. 9, 2006) misses an important point. Both public and private schools provide a crucial alternative for children who are doing poorly in one or the other type of school.
I have seen public and private schools alike fail to meet students’ needs, and I have seen children excel in one after doing poorly or showing behavior problems in the other. What’s important in this debate is that the alternative placement be available to parents of children in either setting.
Charles Stansfield
Second Language Testing Inc.
Rockville, Md.
