A functioning, well-run society depends, in large measure, on the quality of our education.
But can independent schools play a part in civic formation and social cohesion as well, or do they hinder more than they help? Should governments provide funding to such schools as a part of the broader system, and what kind of oversight should be exercised over them if they are allowed to operate?
A new report from Cardus investigates, comparing the in-school predictors of civic formation within plural and uniform school systems. They also investigate the civic outcomes of individual independent schools versus their national norms.
The results?
“A recent analysis of thirty-four quantitative studies on the effects of independent and state schools on civic outcomes yielded eighty-six separate statistically significant findings; fifty showed a clear independent-school advantage, thirty-three found neutral effects, and only three showed a state-school advantage.”
Overall, the authors highlight that while hesitancy over the inclusion of independent schools persists, the majority of findings on independent-school attendance show that this fear of negative impact on civic life remains misplaced.
The report finds that independent schools do not harm social cohesion and, on almost every measure, enhance it as they both allow for pluralism and are effective at promoting the civic formation of young people
“Democracies are fragile. Each generation must prepare the next to take up the rights and responsibilities of citizens; schools bear an outsized burden in this process. Independent schools, in particular, play a positive role in inculcating the knowledge, skills, and habits that animate lifelong democratic participation. The key is honouring religious, philosophical, and pedagogical beliefs of families and students while ensuring robust knowledge-building for all.”
