what do private and public school teachers say about their work environments?

An extensive survey of public school teachers-- by Greg Forster and Christian D´Andrea-- on what those teachers think about life at work as released by The Friedman Foundation...

Excerpts from the executive summary:

This study presents data from a major national survey of teachers conducted by the U.S. Department of Education; the Schools & Staffing Survey. We break down these observational data for public and private school teachers, in order to compare what teachers have to say about their work in each of the two school sectors.

These are eye-opening data for the teaching profession. They show that public school teachers are currently working in a school system that doesn’t provide the best environment for teaching. Teachers are victims of the dysfunctional government school system right alongside their students....By listening to teachers in public and private schools, we discover numerous ways in which their working conditions differ—differences that certainly help explain the gap in educational outcomes...

As for specific, large and statistically significant results-- for private school teachers:

-more control over texts, content, discipline policy

-perceived greater impact on student achievement

-more cooperation among peers

-less likely to be threatened or attacked

-more satisfaction with their careers, less likely to leave teaching at retirement age