Study: Public-private school gap not as wide as once thought

A new study says family life may play a bigger role in high school students' success than whether they attend a public or private school.

WASHINGTON (AP)- Low-income students who attend urban public high schools generally do just as well as private-school students with similar backgrounds, according to a study being released today.

While the finding is in line with a handful of recent studies, it’s at odds with a larger body of research over the years that has found private-school students outperform those in public schools. Some of that research found a private-school advantage even when income levels are taken into account. However, the new study not only compared students by income levels, but also looked at a range of other family characteristics, such as whether a parent participates in school life.

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