Page 2 - Nelson final project deliverable

Problem of Practice

Research shows time and again that a private education can provide
all students greater success and, in the past 25 years, Trinity Episcopal School
has made a stated effort to diversify its student population in an effort to meet
the needs of worthy students who cannot otherwise afford to attend. Yet, de-
spite this commitment, the school continues to lag in its population diversity,
with only 26 percent of its student body being students of color, compared to
the local population which consists of 63 percent of people of color. Despite a
commitment to diversity and evidence that private school education can be a
tool for more inclusive success, Trinity struggles to enroll a more diverse stu-
dent body.

Literature economically. The program pays for oemotional and interpersonal skills
university enrollment as well. Now in also improve, but only when there are
Victoria ISD, the local public school its 57 year, A Better Chance firmly enough of the same racial and/or eth-
th
district, has received a state rating of believes in the advantages provided to nic students to avoid feelings of isola-
“D” with only one elementary out of students of color at independent tion, as explained by attachment theo-
27 elementary, middle, and high schools and has expanded to encom- ry (Benner & Crosnoe, 2011). This is
schools receiving an A rating. There pass all genders and minorities (A based on Piaget’s concept of disequi-
are numerous studies that support the Better Chance, 2020; Griffin, 1999). librium when students are exposed to
achievement of students in private others who look differently than they
schools over their public school coun- If private schools perform better over- do at a young age. It is theorized that
terparts. A metanalysis of 22 industri- all and provide advantages to students this increases cognitive and reasoning
alized nations in Europe and North of color, what keeps these students skills. This would infer that, in order to
America noted that, even when ad- from attending? The out-of-pocket provide advantages for all students, it
justing for socioeconomic status (SES) cost of attending private school is the would behoove the private school to
and racial differences, private religious hurdle that most families cannot over- ensure that there were adequate
schools’ higher performance in both come, no matter the continent or numbers of different racial and ethnic
reading and math was statistically sig- school (Squire, King, & Trinidad, 2019; groups.
nificant (Dronkers & Robert, 2008). Murnane & Reardon, 2018; Alcott &
This difference is also demonstrated in Rose, 2016; Nambissan, 2012). Private
developing nations, where private schools in America educate 10 percent
school students perform at higher lev- of the population but 40 percent of
els than their government school parents say they would send their
brethren (Alcott & Rose, 2016). child to a private school if it was possi-
ble (Squire, King, & Trinidad, 2019). As
In 1963, Dartmouth University found- an example, the cost to attend Trinity
ed A Better Chance, a program provid- middle school is approximately
ing opportunities for Black males to $9,000, which is 17 percent of the me-
attend independent schools beginning dian income in Victoria, making it diffi-
in middle school with all cost paid for cult for many families to afford.
by the foundation. It was noted that
“most of America’s leaders attended Increased school diversity provides
independent schools” and the pro- advantages beyond academic perfor-
gram theorized that attending a pri- mance. While numerous studies show
vate school would move that student that overall test scores are better in
three to four generation ahead socio- schools with diverse populations, soci-