WASHINGTON - More than 1.7 million American children attend “private public schools” where low-income pupils make up less than 5 percent of the student body, a new analysis finds.

“By serving only well-off children, these schools are arguably more private than many private schools,” said Michael J. Petrilli, a co-author of the report and vice president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, the nonpartisan education policy think tank that published it. “Perhaps they should stop calling themselves „public‟ schools, because they are hardly open to the public.”

Locally, Edgewood Elementary, Glendale Elementary and Jeffers Pond Elementary schools in the Prior Lake-Savage Area School District were defined as “private public schools” by the study.

In nearby Lakeville, the Lakeville Early Childhood program, Cherry View Elementary and Eastview Elementary schools were singled out, as well. Other Minnesota schools listed in the study included those in Edina, Minnetonka, Orono, Osseo, Elk River, Eden Prairie, Centennial, Rosemount-Apple Valley, South Washington County, Stillwater and Wayzata.

The analysis examined public elementary, middle, and high schools, using information from the federal government’s Common Core of Data for 2007-2008. Among the national findings:

+ 2,817 “private public schools” exist across the United States.

+ While 17 percent of public school students nationwide are African-American, that’s true of just 3 percent of the pupils in “private public schools.” Hispanic students account for 21 percent of the nationwide public school population, but 12 percent of the students in “private public schools.”

+ On the other hand, Asian students comprise 5 percent of public school students nationwide but 10 percent of students in “private public schools.” And white students account for 75 percent of the “private public school” population, compared to 56 percent of public school students nationwide.

Among states and major metropolitan areas, there’s great variation:

+ More than one child in 10 attends “private public schools” in Connecticut (18 percent), New Jersey (17 percent), South Dakota (16 percent), Arizona (14 percent), and Massachusetts (12 percent).

+ In 23 other states, however, no more than 1 percent of the public school population is enrolled in “private public schools.” These include Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico and North Carolina.

+ The metro areas with the largest shares of students in “private public schools” include Boston (16 percent), New York (13 percent), Phoenix (11 percent), San Francisco (10 percent) and Denver (9 percent).

+ In some metro areas, a high percentage of white students in public schools attend “private public schools:” New York (27 percent), San Francisco (21 percent), Boston (20 percent), Philadelphia (14 percent), Denver (14 percent) and Los Angeles (13 percent).

“Taxpayers willingly spend billions of dollars on these exclusive public schools,” said Chester E. Finn, Jr., Fordham’s president, “though they are, in practical terms, off-limits to poor kids. And few if any elected officials raise any fuss. It’s hypocritical if not discriminatory of them to turn around and oppose charters, vouchers and other school choice programs that would give truly needy children a shot at a comparable education.”

For more information about this analysis and the Fordham Institute visit www.edexcellence.net.