U.S. Study Gives Catholic Schools Poor Marks

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131031103309.htm

Oct. 31, 2013 — A national U.S. study led by a Michigan State University economist suggests Catholic schools are not superior to public schools after all.

Math scores for Catholic students dropped between kindergarten and eighth grade, while math scores for public school students increased slightly. In addition, Catholic students saw no significant increase in reading scores or better behavioral outcomes between kindergarten and eighth grade.

"Across many outcomes, both academic and behavioral, we don't find anything that seems to point to a real benefit of Catholic schools over public schools," said Todd Elder, MSU associate professor of economics.

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While previous research has noted that Catholic school students generally outperform public students academically, it has missed the point that Catholic students essentially start off in kindergarten with an advantage that has nothing to do with the schooling itself, he said.

One possible explanation for lower Catholic school achievement is that Catholic school teachers typically make less than public teachers. The study notes that in 2008, private elementary school teachers had an average salary of $35,730 compared to $51,660 in public schools -- a 45 percent difference.

"Some people say Catholic schools are doing more with less," Elder said. "But these findings suggest they're not doing more with less -- that they may, in fact, be doing less with less."

Another possible explanation is that public schools have better designed curriculum, the study says.

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