Reply #236: Private schools don't do any better than public schools overall

[library_max]

when you factor in the special ed and other unwanted students that public schools have to take and private schools don't. If public schools could pick and choose which kids to accept, their average test scores would look as good as private schools or better.

The big difference is that private schools can legally proselytize for religion and public schools can't. But once taxpayer monies start making a big percentage of private schools' revenues, this would have to change. Otherwise, there is an establishment clause problem. Tax money can't be used to promote one religion or sect over another, even if that tax money would otherwise go to the public schools.