I've been in all three systems, and I can honestly say that it depends on the educational needs of the individual. It's rather narrow minded to classify educational philosophies in a linear order of best to worst (in my opinion), because pedagogical systems are tailored around the idea of serving the learner's need. Personally, for me, public education offered certain experiences and opportunities that were otherwise not available to me at the private and home schooled levels. However, there are many students at my high school that would better be served if they had the self-paced education that home schooling offers or the individualized attention that certain private schools are capable of giving due to class sizes.