Sandra Rubin Glass: "Markets & Myths"
Vol. 5 No. 1 Education Policy Analysis Archives
The Schools
Three independent secondary, college preparatory schools and three public secondary schools were studied. Four of them are located in one large city, two in another. Independent high schools are defined as those being non- religious and, in this study, college preparatory. St. John's College Preparatory School
St. John's is an independent, coeducational, college- preparatory school located in a quiet neighborhood in a city of nearly a half-million population in the southwestern United States. The grounds were originally a residence in a neighborhood more than a century old, although the school itself did not open until 1980. By a quirk of geography, the school is now located in an area marked by the influx of affluent families. The population of St. John's is more than 90% Anglo. The school has devised programs to entice greater student diversity; these efforts have met with little success. It has increased its Hispanic population to nearly 10% although the city in which it is located is as much as one-third Hispanic. Once recruited, many students tend to remain. Over half of last year's graduating seniors completed all four years of high school at St. John's. The withdrawal rate is low, only 1 to 2% annually. As of the 1990-91 school year, there were 22 full-time teachers (11 women and 11 men) and 10 part-time teachers (five women and five men). The school reports that 23 of the 28 members of the faculty have masters degrees and three hold doctorates. The ratio of teachers to students is one for every nine. Full-time teachers are required to teach five classes. The teaching loads average between 63 and 65 students per teacher. The head of school held this position at St. John's for four years. He has over 25 years of experience in similar positions at three other independent secondary schools. He holds both a bachelors and masters degree from a prestigious eastern university. The position of head of school is described in St. John's self-study in part as one who "administers the school according to the policies set by the board of trustees" and has "complete authority for faculty, staff, and student selection, evaluation, and dismissal." Other administrators include an assistant head and dean of students. Both report directly to the head and, upon request, to the Board of Trustees. The head of school fulfills both the superintendent and principal functions of a public school system. Tuition for the 1991-92 school year is listed as $6,650 for high school students. Students will incur additional costs for books and certain special events or trips. Some share of the funds, raised through annual giving, is allocated by the board to provide financial aid in the form of need-based scholarships. Student admissions decisions are made by an Admissions Committee. Qualifications for admission are based on admissions test scores (the Stanford Achievement Test is used), a transcript from previous schools attended, former teacher references, and a personal interview. No precise standards on these criteria are publicly stated. Verde Valley Country Day School
Verde Valley Country Day School has the longest history of any independent school in the state. It began as a ranch style boarding school in the thirties, then closed its resident department and changed its mission to that of a four-year college preparatory high school. Verde Valley Country Day School is a non-sectarian, co-educational, college preparatory day school for students from grades 4 to 12. The school is located in a residential community which has seen the more affluent families migrate to newer areas of development within this growing city of nearly a half- million population. Verde Valley Country Day School has a total student population of 188 for the 1991-92 school year; 105 of those are high school students. The student population is predominantly Anglo despite efforts to increase the ethnic mix in the school. The board and administration wish to attract a student and faculty population more representative of the city in which the school is located. All three of the independent schools in this study publish a lengthy list of elite colleges to which their graduates have been accepted. Verde Valley Country Day School's full school faculty totals 24 full-time and 12 part-time teachers. Many of its high school faculty also have teaching responsibilities in the Middle Level School as is common in the other private schools in this study. Most teachers hold a bachelors degree; many hold one or more masters; a few hold PhD degrees. The administrative staff consists of the head of school, director of admissions, director of development, business manager, and assistant head. As is the case with each of the private schools in this study, the head functions as both superintendent and principal when compared to the public school system. Verde Valley Country Day School's Self Study states: "It should be noted that the key function of a head in an independent school is raising money and there is no question regarding this duty in either assessment [of the head in superintendent or principal roles]." Tuition for all grades at Verde Valley Country Day School is $6,670 per year. Additional expenses include books, various field trips, a week-long program held each spring, and bus transportation. Financial assistance is allocated by a committee and based on need. Published information from the school states: "Each year a substantial portion of the school budget is allocated to financial assistance, making such assistance available to more than 35% of the student body, with grants in aid ranging from 90% to 7% of tuition for the year." Students are accepted for admissions to Verde Valley Country Day School on the basis of transcripts and standardized test scores from their previous schools, an aptitude test administered by Verde Valley Country Day School, recommendations from previous teachers, and an interview. Crestwood Country Day School
Crestwood Country Day School is an independent, co-educational, college-preparatory day school for students from Pre-Kindergarten to grade 12. Of its total enrollment of 575 students, 169 are enrolled in secondary school. The school was founded over thirty years ago at its current location in an affluent residential suburban area imbedded in a city with a population of approximately two million. It enjoys a long and distinguished reputation in the area and is the only independent high school in or adjacent to that city. It competes only with public and parochial schools for its students and is generally viewed as an elite school by the community. Unlike the casual attire worn by the administrators at St. John's College Preparatory School and Verde Valley Country Day School, the male administrators are often seen wearing ties and jackets; the female administrators customarily wear suits. The philosophy of Crestwood Country Day School, as expressed by the assistant to the head, is one of a non-profit business accommodating the needs and wishes of its clients. The assistant to the head is also the director of admissions. Crestwood Country Day School's student population is primarily Anglo although programs of financial aid exist to encourage a more diverse student body. Graduating classes average 40 students each year with 99% enrolling in four-year colleges immediately. Eighty percent of those students attend colleges out of state. Crestwood Country Day School is proud to include in its marketing materials a lengthy list of elite colleges to which graduates are accepted Crestwood Country Day School employs 20 academic faculty in the Upper School. It is unknown how many of these teachers are full time. Masters degrees or higher are held by 80% of this faculty. Each administrator, with the exception of the head of school, is required to teach at least one course. The result is a teacher-student ratio of one to nine. Some of the administrators who are responsible for the Upper School serve the same function for the entire school. For example, the director of admissions is responsible for managing admissions for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade admissions. The top administrator is a woman with previous experience in the same position at eastern private schools who prefers the title "Head of School." She has been head of Crestwood Country Day School for seven years. There is a director of admissions who also has responsibilities as an assistant to the head of school. Tuition for Crestwood Country Day School's Upper School students is $8,500. Students are also required to buy their books and may incur fees for special activities. The Board of Trustees has allocated a portion of the school's operating costs to provide an active need-based financial aid program. In its marketing materials, Crestwood Country Day School clearly states that it "maintains a policy of selective admissions, recognizing that there is a range of students the School's programs serve best." Students are admitted based on an interview, testing and, presumably, other unstated criteria. Admissions decisions are made by the director of admissions and his assistant. The head chooses to participate when certain cases are considered. Sunset High School
Sunset is a large, modern public high school housing approximately 2400 students. The state department lists the graduation rate at 83% with one of the ten lowest drop-out rates in the state. During the current school year, eleven National Merit finalists were identified. It is known in the community for having high academic standards and successful students. The community is primarily Anglo and affluent. The principal describes the student population as being 99% Anglo and possibly 1%, no more than 2%, other which would include African-American, Hispanic, and Asian students. While the district is largely middle to upper middle class, it contains small pockets of lower middle to low income families. Among the goals outlined for the school in its Teacher Policy Handbook is a commitment to "make a significant contribution to the needs of college- bound students . . . " and to maintain effective communication with students and parents "to best meet the educational needs of each student." The superintendent has earned a national reputation for effective management and promoting academic excellence in the schools. She works well with the Board and the very active local Teachers Association. Policy is set by the Board with the guidance of the superintendent. The superintendent is then charged with the implementation of those policies. The implementation of these policies within each school is delegated to each principal. Teachers in the classroom are thus distanced from the Board by these layers of administration. The Board meets twice monthly to carry out their charge much of which is prescribed by the State Department of Education and applies to each of the public high schools in this study. Policies of the district are to be in harmony with state statutes. The state also determines the number of board members (five), term of office (four years), assumption of office, and fiscal year. Many of the board duties involve financial decisions, property management, and personnel discipline issues. There are about 100 certified staff on the faculty of Sunset High School. They teach five classes a day and are limited to 160 contacts [students] per day. This means they average 32 students per class. Most teachers have been with the school since its beginnings, many have served in the district throughout their careers. Portales High School
Much like Verde Valley Country Day School, Portales suffers from the migration of many of its more affluent families to the suburban areas of the city. It still retains a reputation for high academic standards, high graduation rate, and a significant number of National Merit Scholars. The community is facing a widening encroachment of lower middle to low income families, many of whom speak primarily Spanish. The student body reflects the community. It is about 90% Anglo, the remainder being primarily Hispanic and a few African-Americans. There are 980 students attending Portales in the 1991-92 school year. The roles of the superintendent and board are identical for Portales, Sunset, and Montevideo High Schools. Their responsibilities of each are mandated by the state. There are 43 faculty at Portales; about 55 if librarians, counselors, and part-time teachers are included. It is a mature staff, most of whom have worked within the district, if not the same school, for much of their teaching careers. Many hold advanced degrees as is prevalent in public schools where salary is tied to both years of experience and continuing education. Teachers are responsible for five classes and have between 25 and 30 students per class. The student-teacher ratio is 25.5 to 1. Portales has recently embarked on a move toward site-based management in which the principal encourages shared decision-making. Decisions, including the hiring of new faculty, are made by a group or team of those who have a stake in the outcome. The current principal has two histories with the school, the past and the current. He had been principal from 1979 to 1987 including the period of the closure controversy. It was a time when the parents clearly made a choice for their community school. The principal left for a district level administrative position only to be recruited back as principal when his successor was removed under unclear circumstances. Most teachers report the removal was due to his inability to work with faculty in shared decision-making, others state a legal controversy around athletics. While the current principal appears ambivalent about his return to Portales, it is apparent that his quiet demeanor and stated trust in the competence of the faculty endears him to the teachers. Montevideo High School
Although Montevideo was established as a high school seventeen years ago, it was housed within an existing district high school for its first year which required conducting a year of double sessions. The first graduating class, therefore, did not graduate from the present facility. After that first year, Montevideo has been housed at its own facility on its own campus. Its current principal opened the school and has remained with it until his retirement scheduled for the end of the current school year. The school community is composed of middle to upper middle class families. The current student population of 2750 reflects the larger community, essentially Anglo and either LDS (Latter Day Saints or Mormon) or Catholic. Approximately 93% of the students are Anglo, the remainder include a small number of Asian, African-American, and Hispanic students. The graduation rate is over 90%. The current school year has produced eleven National Merit Scholars. The district spends approximately $3400 per student. Early in the school's history, the assistant superintendent of the district began a study of the community by asking, "When your students graduate, what do you think they should have learned?" The school was, thus, established as an outcomes-based school from the beginning. Parent expectations have been reaffirmed three times since this first study utilizing a survey of parents and students. Through the survey, parents not only described their expectations, but they also ranked them in importance. While the principal has complete control over his budget, he dislikes this role and prefers being an instructional leader, working with teachers and parents, and conducting long-range planning. He claimed almost unbridled autonomy in his work noting, "If you produce a good product, they're [district] going to leave you alone." There are about 125 faculty who are described by the principal as "damn good faculty . . . intelligent, dedicated." They give much of their own time for tutoring students and they all incorporate mastery learning. They teach five classes and average 142 students within that teaching load. Only five faculty members were assigned to Montevideo, the remainder were essentially hired by the principal. Similar to each of the public schools in this study, the faculty is mature with many teachers having accumulated their teaching experience within the district, if not within the same school. They run their departments much in the same way one would expect to observe in a business. The principal demonstrates confidence in those he has hired and allows teachers a tremendous amount of latitude. Teachers feel his support and express considerable freedom. In anticipation of his retirement, teachers report a general feeling of anxiety over the question of who will replace this principal. Alike and Different
The six schools that participated in this study share some important characteristics, yet differ in a number of equally important ways. All serve primarily middle to upper-middle class clientele who are racially homogeneous. This characteristic is a result of two distinct factors: public school locations in relatively expensive residential communities and high tuition charged by private schools. All six schools are oriented toward college preparation. Each boasts of high graduation rates with large numbers of students accepted to both in-state and out-of-state colleges, including many elite colleges. Many students are academically motivated and earn academic recognition on both the state and national level. Parents are actively involved in the school, participating on the school board or on any number of committees. They are welcomed on each campus and their voices are heard. The parents are described by each principal or head as being generally well-educated and, consequently, understand how to get what they want through either the private or public school system. The schools are remarkably different in size. The three public schools are all much larger than the three independent schools in both the size of the campus and student population. It is perhaps because of size that the public schools include a district level in their organization. Another difference is the amount spent to educate each child. Per pupil spending varies between public ($3400, $3700, $4000) and private ($6,650, $6,670, $8,500). While the public schools are forced to function and provide educational services to its students within its means, the private schools depend on fundraising to supplement tuition so as to cover the true cost of educating each of its students. Public schools are mandated to provide an education to all students, whereas private schools are selective of students and their parents.