Academic and social motivators for public and private school choice: a case study of a small town

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.