Public Education. Private school students typically score higher than public school students on standardized tests, but a 2006 study (pdf) by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which took into account students’ backgrounds, told a different story. In the first set of analyses, all private schools were compared to all public schools. This trend seems unlikely to reverse. Public School vs. Perhaps even more surprisingly, the private school share of total enrollments has decreased over the past 15 years, from about 12 percent to 10 percent. This table can also be used to draw a very loose correlation between income, SAT scores, and private school attendance. Private School: Diversity The nation’s 33,600 private schools offer parents the ability to be more selective about the students that their child will spend their days with. Testing at private vs. public schools. Private school vs public school statistics are really like comparing apples to oranges. According to the National Center for Education Statistics study, private schools tend to be half as large as public schools. 56.5% of charter schools are located in cities 2. So clearly public schools do a better job of serving rural communities. The Supposed Benefits of Private vs. Public School . According to the National Center for Education Statistics, roughly 10% of U.S. students (about 5 million) attend private schools compared to 50 million public elementary and secondary school students. 4. The ACT mean composite score for 2012 private school graduates was 23.2, compared to 20.8 for public school graduates, and the private school advantage remained steady across all subject areas: English – 23.5 vs. 20.1, reading – 23.5 vs. 21.0, math – 22.8 vs. 20.9, and science – 22.5 vs. 20.7. About 10 percent of American children attend private schools, not all of which have been leaders in online education. 10% of charter schools are in rural areas 3. The U.S. Department of Education projects that in 2021, private schools will enroll about 9 percent of preK-12 students, while public schools will enroll 91 percent. There are so many variables between the two education systems that I have yet to … 17 Surprising Charter Schools vs Public Schools Statistics 1. 29% of public schools are in rural areas. The above table further exhibits the relationship between private school attendance and future success, especially in terms of the SAT, where a large increase in scores is seen from public to private school students. Nearly 50 million students enroll in public elementary and secondary schools in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.Most people might assume that private schools would be hands-down better than public schools because of their unique offerings and smaller classes, but that’s not necessarily so. Many experts feel that children are less likely to get lost in the shuffle if they attend a smaller school, which naturally nurtures a sense of community and belonging. The first public charter school was established in Minnesota in 1991