Half the students at the three types of schools say that their classes are easy. Students at all three types of schools generally agree that their teachers are supportive and that students are encouraged to express their views in class. Half of the students in three types of schools say they discuss controversial issues in class. The majority of the students surveyed are satisfied with their school climate. Private school students consistently claim a higher level of satisfaction than the other students.
Fighting is a more significant problem at the four public schools than at the five private schools.
While over 90 percent of students at all three types of schools say their parents expect them to get good grades in school, students at private schools are more likely to say that their parents have met and talked with their teachers. One of the most interesting patterns of responses arising from the survey concerns the teaching of values at the nine schools. Nearly 80 percent of private school students say that religion is addressed often in their classes. By contrast, public school students list it as the least addressed. The apparent pervasive influence of religion in the instructional program at private schools supports contentions that publicly funded voucher program funneling money to private sectarian schools inevitably will have the effect of supporting religion.