Public‐Private Differences in Achievement among Kindergarten Students: Differences in Learning Opportunities and Student Outcomes

While much research has focused on public‐private differences in learning opportunities and achievement in high school, no studies have examined sector differences early in students’ academic careers. In this study, I examine sector differences in learning opportunities and achievement in kindergarten. The analyses indicate: (1) learning opportunities vary across school sector, sometimes favoring public schools, sometimes not; (2) public school gains in achievement are either the same as private schools' or slightly greater; and (3) while learning opportunities have important effects on student learning, sector differences in learning opportunities explain some but not all of the sector differences in student learning.