Last week, I looked at enrollment trends in Los Angeles. Enrollment in Los Angeles Unified (including charters) has dropped by 18% since 2002. A lot of it has to do to demographic factors, but I thought that some of it might have to do with private schools.
It doesn’t.
When looking at private schools, we have to look at county data not district data. The reason: many families who send their children to private schools cross district lines. So, in this post, I am going to look at LA county data.
Since 2002, private school enrollment has dropped by 29% in Los Angeles County.
The enrollment drop was significantly worse for religious schools. But this drop did not hit all religious schools equally:
Catholic school enrollment dropped by 18% (similar to the district). That is rough, but it is nothing compared to Baptist school enrollment which dropped by 45%, or Lutheran school enrollment which dropped by 59%. Enrollment in Jewish schools increased by 53%, which is more than any other religion (including ones not listed here).
I have talked to a several people who work in private schools, both religious and non-religious, and many of them feel that a lot of this drop has to do with charter schools. But that is kind of hard to pinpoint without some real serious longitudinal research.
Maybe what we can say is this: it is a fact that many charters have come to occupy the empty school houses left in the wake of this religious school exodus. KIPP, Aspire, PUC, Celerity, Citizens of the World – they have all at one point rented space from a former religious school.
And just as they occupy that space physically, perhaps they occupy the same space in the minds of neighbors who seek alternative education to the district. Throw in the tuition-free aspect, and you might have sold some of the same parents.
“I have talked to a several people who work in private schools, both religious and non-religious, and many of them feel that a lot of this drop has to do with charter schools. But that is kind of hard to pinpoint without some real serious longitudinal research……..And just as they (charters) occupy that space physically, perhaps they occupy the same space in the minds of neighbors who seek alternative education to the district. Throw in the tuition-free aspect, and you might have sold some of the same parents.”
HARD TO PINPOINT why religious schools are losing students? MIGHT have sold some parents? Nerd, let the data go and follow the bread crumbs (i.e. common sense). Parents are fleeing religious schools for the same reason that they are fleeing traditional pubic schools: there’s probably a school down the street that is attracting good students…and fewer knuckleheads…and fewer kids who don’t pay attention and slow down the entire class….did I mention that school is free?…of course motivated parents who tend to raise motivated offspring are increasingly sending their children to these schools (charters and magnets). Did I mention these schools score well on standardized tests and other metrics (let’s face it, if they’ve got their act together and have developed a reputation, they do just about everything better….gee, I wonder why).
You see, it’s all about choice. Choice is American as apple pie, right? Choice trumps all, right? Who dare deny the right of parental choice? Obviously only an adult-centered, union apologist. OK, maybe a Beaudry bureaucrat.
It’s hard to fault a parent seeking a better school for their child. But we better start building better traditional PUBLIC schools before we further marginalize those who are left behind there. Sadly, as we rush to get a slice of the fresh, choice pie, we forget that there are many stuck with yesterday’s (or last year’s) leftovers. Who’s cooking for them?
The “I got mine” attitude needs to be replaced by “We got ours.”
My solution: Scale back charters and magnets. Invest in (reform) our traditional PUBLIC schools….or…..
Why don’t we go wall-to-wall charter/magnet? Wouldn’t that make it better for everyone? I chuckle.
I pray.