Private schools almost never get covered in any significant way, even in markets where they attract huge numbers of students. They are private institutions and can keep their doors closed, and they don’t have to play by the kind of rules that give us test scores and enrollment numbers and all the other data journalists love. So we write about them even less than we write about special ed or preschool—usually only when there is some sort of gossipy cheating scandal.
The New York Times is changing that, by creating a private school beat. Looks from this memo like they are going to treat it as yet another aren’t-rich-people-amusing beat. I hope whoever gets the job manages to write from time to time about actual teaching and learning in between covering the frenzy of preschool admissions tutoring and limousine carpools, because there may be something to learn there.
I searched high and low for coverage of private school education in the DC area, and really couldn't find a thing at all. My kids (3rd grade, 7th grade and 10th grade) have always attended an Arlington Diocese Catholic school and it would be nice to see the trends and issues covered in this large school system. With four Diocese high schools (my oldest attends the newest one, Pope John Paul the Great Catholic High in Dumfries - www.jpthegreat.org) and dozens of k-8's throughout the region (the youngest attend All Saints in Manassas) there is plenty to report on.
ReplyDeleteThe Diocese discloses a lot of information on their website and the schools are forthcoming with their information.
Private school students, and their parents, face many challenges and have many successes. It would be nice to get some reporting on the issues that affect these learners.