Private School Vs. Public School Essays - Youth, Educational Stages

Private School Vs. Public School Persuasive Speech Formal Outline Title: PRIVATE SCHOOLING IS THE OBVIOUS WAY TO GO Topic: Private Schooling Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that private schools offer a better education to children and better prepare them for college. Thesis Statement: Private school children are more involved in community service, are generally provided with a better education, and are more likely to apply and succeed in college. INTRODUCTION Attention material: For many of us, as scary as it may seem, the pitter-patter of little feet is not too far off. In fact, some of you may already hear it. But along with it, comes many big decisions that will affect the future of your children. Education is a big example. Now you may say, ?Of course I'm going to educate my children.? But the big question is ?Where For many parents today, it is a hard to decide where to send their children - Public or Private school? Credibility material: I myself went to public schools, and even though I graduated Valedictorian of my class, when I came to college, I did not feel I was prepared in many area of education. The classes in my high school were not challenging enough, the tests were not hard enough, and the teachers were not strict enough. Now it seemed pretty cool at the time, but it just caused me more trouble in the long run than it was worth. If I were to choose today where to send my kids to school, I would definitely choose private schooling. Thesis statement: Private school students are more involved in community service, are generally provided with a better education, and are more likely to apply and succeed in college. Preview: 11% of all US Students are enrolled in private schools this school year (CAPE). (Transition: I feel these children are at a big advantage over children in public schools in all aspects of the educational experience.) BODY Getting involved in one's community is definitely important and beneficial to students today. A report issued by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) notes a significant difference in levels of community service between public schools and private schools. According to the report, in 1999, 42% of private schools require and arrange community service. This is significantly different than the 17% of public schools who do (CAPE). (Transition: Getting involved outside of the classroom can be just as important as inside the classroom.) Private schools generally provide their students with a better education. In 1999, a report released by Public Agenda, a NY City research organiztion, supported this claim. 1. When they asked 1,200 citizens how they felt on the issue, 52% believed private schooling provides a better education, as opposed to the 19% that though public schooling does (CAPE). Private schools also provide more rigorous core curriculums. The NCES report showed that 45% of private schools, compared to 20% of public schools, met the high school graduation recommendations of the National Commission on Excellence in Education. The recommendations are: 4 years of English, 3 Years of Mathematics, 3 years of Science, and 3 years of Social Studies. Furthermore, the majority of private schools require a college preparatory program, 1-2 years of a foreign language. They are also urged to take advantage of the AP courses. (Transition: In a NAIS poll (National Association of Independent Schools), by a margin of 2 to 1, the public thinks private schools do a better job preparing students for college (CAPE).) Private school students are more likely to apply and attend college. The NCES report showed 88% of private high school students apply to college, whereas, only 57% of public high school student do (CAPE). More private school students take the SAT test, and their scores are well above the national average for every ethnicity, race, and income group. (Transition: Though the advantages of private schooling outweighs the disadvantages, there are the obvious drawbacks.) I know some of you may raise the issue of $$, and financial aspect of private schooling can be the ultimate deciding factor. However, there are ways around the sometimes pricey tuition. Many private schools offer scholarships. And just as in college, there is financial aid available for most schools. Furthermore, the idea of private school vouchers is currently being discussed politically. These vouchers give parents funding to send their children to private schools if their public schools are failing. CONCLUSION Summary statement: Overall, private school students excel in almost all areas, especially in producing more well-rounded, intelligent students. Concluding remarks: Don't get me wrong, I'm not