Academic and social motivators for public and private school choice: a case study of a small town
Автор: Klinovskaya A.M.
Журнал: Science, Education and Innovations in the Context of Modern Problems @imcra
Статья в выпуске: 7 vol.8, 2025 года.
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The main street of Midcoast is dotted with small storefronts and large old colonial houses. The speed limit is only 25mph, and one of the local cops is generally hanging out on a street corner, waiting to ticket anyone who might roll through the cross walks. Large SUVs and station wagons fill the parking spots, and on Sunday the streets are packed with traffic from the three churches in the few blocks. Where the main street branches down the hill, the campus of Midcoast Academy sits to the right. This private school has existed for over a hundred years, and the extensive campus stretches back behind the imposing front brick building. A mile up the coast on Rt. 1, past large homes with views of the ocean , the driveway for the recently renovated public high school is on the left. This modern looking building is brand new and surrounded by well kept athletic fields that are fr e- quented with children playing soccer and lacrosse. Mothers wait in idli ng cars for practices to end and chat about their children’s busy schedules and upcoming school events.
Crime, Administrative Control, Judicial Control, Preventive Role.
Короткий адрес: https://sciup.org/16010862
IDR: 16010862 | DOI: 10.56334/sei/8.7.39
Текст научной статьи Academic and social motivators for public and private school choice: a case study of a small town
RESEARCH ARTICLE Academic and social motivators for public and private school choice: a case study of a small town Anne Martin Professor of Sociology Klinovskaya Co- Director, Center for Research on Inequalities and the Life Course (CIQLE), Yale University USA .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Email: , Doi Serial Keywords Crime, Administrative Control, Judicial Control, Preventive Role. Abstract
I chose this town as a case study to evaluate public and private schools. I was interested in the factors that drove the choice between these two options for parents. I wanted to understand some of the complex dynamics of choice in a population of parents who highly valued education. The privatization of education is a hotly debated topic in the United States, as is school choice. These issues are generally discussed in the context of the class or racial divides that exist between those who have the resources to demand better, and those families who settle for the educational option available to them. However,
Midcoast provides an interesting case study because of the population demographic. Most Midcoast families have the economic resources to afford private school. Religion is not a dividing factor, and both the public and private school are centrally located so transportation is not an issue. A study in Midcoast can ignore these reasons that traditionally dominate school choice and examine some of the ideological and social issues that guide the decision. Academics, teachers, athletics, college, and peer groups are a few of the concerns most parents have regarding their children’s school experience. Parents in Midcoast are informed and integrated into their children’s education, and academic learning is a clear priority. However, I discovered that satisfaction with a school or a parent’s desire to choose a new learning environment is governed by many forces outside of the classroom. The question of school choice takes on new meaning in a small town because of the intricate social networks and the importance of inclusion in the community.
