Why Teachers Prefer to Teach at a Private School

A Look At Why Teachers Prefer To Teach At A Private School

Government reports private school teachers are typically more satisfied with their jobs than their colleagues in public schools

Middleton, Massachusetts - December 10, 2003 - The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) releases an annual report to Congress on the condition of education. This year's report includes a special analysis on private schools titled "Private Schools: A Brief Portrait." A highlight of the report, quoted directly from the private school piece, included the following: Private school teachers are more likely than public school teachers to report being satisfied with teaching at their school.

According to the report, private school teachers are more satisfied with their jobs than public school teachers - not a trivial finding, especially during a teacher shortage. They are also more content about class size and more likely to say they receive lots of support from parents. By substantial margins, they are more likely to agree that most colleagues share the school's mission and that staff cooperative effort is high. The report notes the significance of the last two items this way: "A school's professional climate, in particular the existence of a strong shared purpose among staff members and cooperative interactions among people at the school, is likely to contribute to its effectiveness." June 2002 Government Report on Private Schools, attributed to the Council for American Private Education, www.capenet.org.

Are teachers a factor for parents sending their children to private schools? According to the Brown University Survey of Providence Private School Parents about School Choice, Sept., 2001, parents indicated the most important factors in decisions to send their children to private schools were teacher quality (90 percent), the personal attention their child receives (89 percent), the child's safety (86 percent), the overall academic reputation of the school (84 percent), and the school's responsiveness to parents and students (83 percent). For children who attend a secular, non-religious private school, the teacher quality factor was 95 percent.

Why are private schools wonderful places in which to teach? They offer caring, orderly, safe, and nurturing environments; they emphasize the education of the whole child; they insist on academic excellence; and they treat teachers as professionals, giving them considerable autonomy and independence in matters of instruction. The disciplined environment, rigorous curriculum, caring communities, and high expectations private schools provide make them some of the most effective schools in the country. Teachers in private schools can spend their time doing what they are supposed to be doing: teaching. "Why Teach in a Private School," attributed to the Council for American Private Education, www.capenet.org.