If you are wealthy would you send your kids to a W school over private?

[Anonymous]

NP. DC is in private so I do think private schools can be great for certain kids but definitely a disproportionate amount of kids we know who go do switch out of public to private have some learning or social issues.

It makes sense because many of the just UMC families try to start out in public because that's why they moved to this district in the first place but then their kid grows up and the public school doesn't work out for one reason or another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. DC is in private so I do think private schools can be great for certain kids but definitely a disproportionate amount of kids we know who go do switch out of public to private have some learning or social issues.

It makes sense because many of the just UMC families try to start out in public because that's why they moved to this district in the first place but then their kid grows up and the public school doesn't work out for one reason or another.

Sorry, but this just isn’t true for top schools. They aren’t some repository for kids who can’t hack it in public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. DC is in private so I do think private schools can be great for certain kids but definitely a disproportionate amount of kids we know who go do switch out of public to private have some learning or social issues.

It makes sense because many of the just UMC families try to start out in public because that's why they moved to this district in the first place but then their kid grows up and the public school doesn't work out for one reason or another.

Sorry, but this just isn’t true for top schools. They aren’t some repository for kids who can’t hack it in public schools.

We moved our quiet daughter from Pyle to an all girls private school because we thought she would get a lot more attention there, and she does. She's always been a great student though, I don't know that I would call this a learning or social issue, or a special need, more like a strong preference for something different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. DC is in private so I do think private schools can be great for certain kids but definitely a disproportionate amount of kids we know who go do switch out of public to private have some learning or social issues.

It makes sense because many of the just UMC families try to start out in public because that's why they moved to this district in the first place but then their kid grows up and the public school doesn't work out for one reason or another.

Sorry, but this just isn’t true for top schools. They aren’t some repository for kids who can’t hack it in public schools.

New PP -

In my opinion, privates come in different sizes and some can serve students with disabilities better than others. The key with privates is there are choices so you can find one that fits your child’s needs and interests.

In public, it’s a large take it or leave it model. Most children are underserved and the class sizes make it easier for students to be ignored. For students with IEPs and 504 plans, services and accommodations are routinely not provided so students with disabilities struggle to just have equal access to the curriculum.

[Anonymous]

There’s a difference between true special needs and kids who need more support than a large public can give for particular social, academic or behavioral issues. From what I have seen I agree that these kids eventually leave W public feeders for privates where they can get more individual attention.

[Anonymous]

My entitled kid simply must go to an entitled school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If money is truly no object private schools are more convenient in many ways. No hassle about attendance/travel, more accommodating for teacher meetings, generally a client experience. It’s a luxury good.

If you’re thinking in terms of ROI i.e. that you’re buying some outcome like a college admission or some certain entry level job, you’re not a fit for private schools.

Your first paragraph is ridiculous

We are extremely wealthy more than you could possibly imagine.

However I do not know one person in my circle that thinks of school in any way shape or form like what you said .

Wealthy families if they did think that way are not closing local privates, they board.

I happen to live in a W district my kids did both and unequivocally public was better. Education is everything period .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If money is truly no object private schools are more convenient in many ways. No hassle about attendance/travel, more accommodating for teacher meetings, generally a client experience. It’s a luxury good.

If you’re thinking in terms of ROI i.e. that you’re buying some outcome like a college admission or some certain entry level job, you’re not a fit for private schools.

Your first paragraph is ridiculous

We are extremely wealthy more than you could possibly imagine.

However I do not know one person in my circle that thinks of school in any way shape or form like what you said .

Wealthy families if they did think that way are not closing local privates, they board.

I happen to live in a W district my kids did both and unequivocally public was better. Education is everything period .

With all that money, you should get some writing tutoring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most wealthy( 10 million + net worth) people I know in Bethesda already send their kids to private school.

There was definitely a move to private during Covid. But I think things have settled back to normal. If you live in the Whitman district, it tends be the very wealthy and the special needs that go private. Smart, healthy, sporty kids tend to go public.

There are 2000 kids at Whitman, you would describe them all as smart, healthy, and sporty and their neighbors in private schools as special needs kids? Given that most privates don't accept kids with special needs and the public school has to take everyone, this seems odd.

Some posters like to say private schools are for really rich or SN kids because it’s their way of arguing that private schools only work for kids who can’t handle public schools or rich people who want to escape the poors. It’s their way of dismissing private schools.

Yep - this. It makes them feel better about their decision to go public. I can tell you for certain, there is not a SINGLE special needs kid at my daughter's private school and quite a number of students came from MCPS. They transferred because they weren't challenged or there were significant behavior issues at their former schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s a difference between true special needs and kids who need more support than a large public can give for particular social, academic or behavioral issues. From what I have seen I agree that these kids eventually leave W public feeders for privates where they can get more individual attention.

There’s a variety of privates - some that are specifically for special needs students (examples are Ivymount, McLean School, and the Lab School). There are some private schools that have inclusive and welcoming environment for students that need accommodations. Then there are some privates that won’t provide accommodations.

As a parent, I toured several private schools with my child before we found one that was the right fit. He is happier there with the smaller class sizes than his large W school. His disability is ADHD but he is gifted in science and math.

The private met with us to review his IEP from MCPS and the neuropsychological data and we came up with a plan similar to a 504 plan for accommodations. We hired a special education tutor for executive functioning coaching. The tutor was allowed to meet with him in the school library during his study hall session.

Point is that privates all have their niches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most wealthy( 10 million + net worth) people I know in Bethesda already send their kids to private school.

There was definitely a move to private during Covid. But I think things have settled back to normal. If you live in the Whitman district, it tends be the very wealthy and the special needs that go private. Smart, healthy, sporty kids tend to go public.

There are 2000 kids at Whitman, you would describe them all as smart, healthy, and sporty and their neighbors in private schools as special needs kids? Given that most privates don't accept kids with special needs and the public school has to take everyone, this seems odd.

Some posters like to say private schools are for really rich or SN kids because it’s their way of arguing that private schools only work for kids who can’t handle public schools or rich people who want to escape the poors. It’s their way of dismissing private schools.

Yep - this. It makes them feel better about their decision to go public. I can tell you for certain, there is not a SINGLE special needs kid at my daughter's private school and quite a number of students came from MCPS. They transferred because they weren't challenged or there were significant behavior issues at their former schools.

I can't believe that's true. My child is at a Big 3 and there are definitely a couple kids who very obviously have some learning and social challenges and there's even a learning office where kids who need special help get help. Our school has mentioned there are kids with dyslexia as an example. There are many more than 2 kids who are quirky/shy or who had social issues at their large public. I have no idea if anyone has an official special needs diagnosis, maybe not, but many of DC's friends and classmates had needs beyond what a public school could offer.

I don't know why you seem so defensive about that. There are kids who want more academic challenge and or come from rough schools but I'm pretty sure that does not comprise the majority as most of the MCPS transplants we know are from the W schools which have plenty of challenge and are really nice places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a difference between true special needs and kids who need more support than a large public can give for particular social, academic or behavioral issues. From what I have seen I agree that these kids eventually leave W public feeders for privates where they can get more individual attention.

There’s a variety of privates - some that are specifically for special needs students (examples are Ivymount, McLean School, and the Lab School). There are some private schools that have inclusive and welcoming environment for students that need accommodations. Then there are some privates that won’t provide accommodations.

As a parent, I toured several private schools with my child before we found one that was the right fit. He is happier there with the smaller class sizes than his large W school. His disability is ADHD but he is gifted in science and math.

The private met with us to review his IEP from MCPS and the neuropsychological data and we came up with a plan similar to a 504 plan for accommodations. We hired a special education tutor for executive functioning coaching. The tutor was allowed to meet with him in the school library during his study hall session.

Point is that privates all have their niches.

Every private we know has support for kids who need 504-like accomodations. Sidwell, Landon, and many more have learning specialists who work with kids in this way. They don't call it special needs but it's really similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a difference between true special needs and kids who need more support than a large public can give for particular social, academic or behavioral issues. From what I have seen I agree that these kids eventually leave W public feeders for privates where they can get more individual attention.

There’s a variety of privates - some that are specifically for special needs students (examples are Ivymount, McLean School, and the Lab School). There are some private schools that have inclusive and welcoming environment for students that need accommodations. Then there are some privates that won’t provide accommodations.

As a parent, I toured several private schools with my child before we found one that was the right fit. He is happier there with the smaller class sizes than his large W school. His disability is ADHD but he is gifted in science and math.

The private met with us to review his IEP from MCPS and the neuropsychological data and we came up with a plan similar to a 504 plan for accommodations. We hired a special education tutor for executive functioning coaching. The tutor was allowed to meet with him in the school library during his study hall session.

Point is that privates all have their niches.

Every private we know has support for kids who need 504-like accomodations. Sidwell, Landon, and many more have learning specialists who work with kids in this way. They don't call it special needs but it's really similar.

Special education is just good teaching practices that most students would benefit from. These practices are just easier to implement to all students when class sizes are under 20 students. Some privates have a mission to help students achieve. MCPS mission is to limit access to accommodations and services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If money is truly no object private schools are more convenient in many ways. No hassle about attendance/travel, more accommodating for teacher meetings, generally a client experience. It’s a luxury good.

If you’re thinking in terms of ROI i.e. that you’re buying some outcome like a college admission or some certain entry level job, you’re not a fit for private schools.

Your first paragraph is ridiculous

We are extremely wealthy more than you could possibly imagine.

However I do not know one person in my circle that thinks of school in any way shape or form like what you said .

Wealthy families if they did think that way are not closing local privates, they board.

I happen to live in a W district my kids did both and unequivocally public was better. Education is everything period .


You are speaking in circles.

Most high net worth people do private.

[Anonymous]

School security and social connections to wealthy and influential people are other reasons families choose private when money is not a factor.