Schools of Choice, Counterpublics, and the Public Good

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Schools of Choice: How Do They Measure Up?

Abstract

Using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data, this investigation analyzed schools of choice (i.e. charters and private schools) as counter publics by conducting a cohort-to-cohort comparison of Grade 8 2006, 2010, and 2014 Civics Assessments. Results indicate private schools, as a school of choice, outperformed both charters and traditional public schools. Key factors (i.e. teacher time spent on civics instruction and teacher degree attainment) are not necessarily associated with higher civic scores. More important, schools of choice, particularly private schools, allow Black and Hispanic students the space to fruitfully practice and demonstrate their civic knowledge and skills as evidenced in higher civic scores.

Author

• Chrystal S. Johnson, Purdue University