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| Private schools in the United States | |
|---|---|
| Name | Private schools in the United States |
| Established | 17th century |
| Type | Independent, Parochial, Boarding, Day |
| Country | United States |
Private schools in the United States are nongovernmental K–12 institutions such as Harvard University-affiliated preparatory academies, Phillips Exeter Academy-style boarding schools, and parochial schools tied to Roman Catholic Church dioceses. They include a wide range of institutions from elite Phillips Academy Andover and Groton School to small independent schools like Milton Academy-inspired academies and faith-based schools affiliated with United Methodist Church congregations. Private schools operate within frameworks shaped by federal statutes such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and court decisions like Brown v. Board of Education, while interacting with state departments such as the New York State Education Department and accreditation bodies like the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
Private schools encompass independent schools modeled on Eton College traditions, parochial systems governed by the Roman Catholic Church and Southern Baptist Convention, and proprietary institutions patterned after Kumon-style academies. Examples include religious networks like the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod schools and secular consortia such as the National Association of Independent Schools member institutions. They differ from public schools administered by local entities like the New York City Department of Education or state systems such as the California Department of Education and are distinct from charter schools authorized by entities like the Detroit Public Schools Community District.
Early private schooling in colonial America drew on models from Thomas Jefferson's vision and institutions like Harvard College, while 19th-century expansion saw the rise of boarding schools influenced by Phillips Academy and the social reform movements of Horace Mann and Catharine Beecher. The expansion of Catholic parochial schools paralleled immigration waves associated with the Irish Immigration and Italian American communities, leading to diocesan systems overseen by figures such as Cardinal John O'Connor and organizations like the National Catholic Educational Association. Twentieth-century shifts were shaped by legal rulings including Engel v. Vitale and policy responses to desegregation following Brown v. Board of Education, with late 20th- and 21st-century trends influenced by voucher programs in locales like Milwaukee, Wisconsin and choices promoted by reformers associated with Milton Friedman and Betsy DeVos.
Private schools include boarding schools such as Choate Rosemary Hall, day schools like Riverdale Country School, religious schools affiliated with Archdiocese of New York or Southern Baptist Convention, and specialized schools related to arts institutions like Juilliard School-linked preparatory programs. Governance structures vary from independent boards modeled after Trustees of Columbia University to diocesan offices akin to the Archdiocese of Chicago school systems, while for-profit chains resemble entities such as the former Laurel Springs School and proprietary groups like K12 Inc..
Funding sources range from endowments like those of Phillips Exeter Academy and Trinity School to tuition revenue structures comparable to Hotchkiss School billing practices. Philanthropic contributions come from donors in networks tied to families such as the Rockefeller family, foundations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and alumni associations modeled on the Yale Alumni Fund. State-level voucher initiatives in states including Ohio, Florida, and Indiana interact with private tuition models, while federal tax policies affect charitable giving as in legislation influenced by members of United States Congress such as Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi.
Accreditation commonly involves regional agencies like the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, as well as specialized bodies such as the National Association of Independent Schools and the Council for American Private Education. Regulatory oversight intersects with court rulings such as Pierce v. Society of Sisters and state statutes administered by departments like the Texas Education Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Admissions practices at selective institutions like Andover and St. Paul's School mirror competitive college admissions trends found at Princeton University and Stanford University, using interviews, standardized tests influenced by the College Board and the ACT, Inc., and legacy preferences similar to policies at Harvard University alumni networks. Enrollment demographics shift with immigration patterns tied to China–United States relations and policy debates involving figures from the U.S. Department of Education and state legislatures in Texas and California.
Studies of outcomes compare private school results to public systems like Chicago Public Schools and charter networks such as Success Academy Charter Schools, examining college matriculation rates to universities including Columbia University and University of Pennsylvania, standardized achievement linked to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and longitudinal research from institutes like the Brookings Institution and the American Enterprise Institute.
Critiques address equity concerns raised in debates involving advocates like Jonathan Kozol and policymakers such as Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan, disputes over public funding reflected in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, and controversies around discrimination litigated with involvement from organizations like the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Policy debates often feature think tanks including the Heritage Foundation and the Urban Institute and involve court cases before the United States Supreme Court.
Category:Schools in the United States