Even though their diversity makes comparison with public schools difficult, American private schools should voluntarily provide data about their students, teachers, and their students' academic abilities to the government's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). NCES' private school data will increase the schools' visibility and help inform government policy makers who propose laws and regulations that ultimately affect private schools. Results of a 1976 to 1979 mail survey of private schools, sponsored by NCES, the Council for American Private Education, and the National Catholic Education Association indicated that in 1979, a total of 19,663 private schools existed in the United States, serving 5,084,297 students with 272,664 teachers. An average of 259 students attended each school, 80% of which were parochial schools and 50% of which were Catholic schools. Two-thirds of all private school students attended Catholic schools. Private schools comprised 18.4% of all schools and served 10.7% of all students with 11.9% of all teachers. Enrollments in boarding schools declined but enrollments in schools serving one sex increased. National longitudinal studies of high school seniors in 1972 and 1980 indicated that 1980 seniors were more interested in money and academics and less interested in correcting socioeconomic inequalities than 1972 seniors. (SB)