Private education as an area of study offers many opportunities to educational researchers. Four types of research that would include private education are discussed and examples of research possibilities under each type are offered. The first type involves fundamental educational processes. Suggested are studies of the effects of various levels of funding in schools and comparing school systems maintaining complex administrative bureaucracies with those that do not. Opportunities exist in Western Canada for comparing publicly supported Catholic schools with privately supported Catholic schools. The second type of research is that aimed at understanding private schools. Studies could concentrate on the social networks developed at private schools and their long-term functions. Another topic would be a comprehensive analysis of the legal problems of private schools, with emphasis on the special legal principles that apply to them. The third type of research would encourage more scholars to do research on private education. A carefully done analysis of major differences between public and private schools would be a starting point for many studies. The fourth type involves analyzing broad social issues. An examination of the roots of legal compulsion in education is suggested. (Author/MLF)