I don't understand why parents waste so much money on private schools in this area.

[Anonymous]

First -- many people with kids in private do not mind spending the money. They have it. Not only is it not a burden but the are not skimping somewhere else like retirement. If you make a million the tuition is a rounding error.

Second --- not great schools in a lot of areas.

Third -- people like the experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suggest OP go tour a couple of private schools during this falls admission process. The tours are quite eye opening and I promise you won’t be asking this question.

OP here, shrug. Having come from the bay area, I had always assumed how well a school did was just purely a function of how many hard working asian kids good at self learning were in any particular school. The whole game is just a filtering tournament anyhow and teachers don't really add huge value. You either have self motivated smart kids or you don't. So as a venture capitalist by training, the ROI for private seems pretty poor and silly intangibles I see being justified by parents on this board are borderline ridiculous. The real KPI is Asian enrollment pre-K numbers. Montgomery county has a bunch of older Asian parents due to Rockville and Bethesda being the good school districts in the 90s haydays. Today, most younger Asian parents are in NoVA. I'd take Haycock over Sidwell or St Albans in 5-10 years.

Oh I get it now. You’re a pretentious ass.

I am a data and numbers kinda gal and don't care about stepping on feelings to get to the truth.

You don’t sound data driven at all. Best of luck with your 3-year-old.

What you are is silly. The world does not change as much as you think. This is what I call Californiaitas. I lived there a long time as well. It is different. What goes on there does not translate on East Coast. Never has, never will. And California will be different in 10 tears as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:See the thread in elementary forum about the mom being upset her kid is in the inclusion "IEP kids" kids class. A lot of parents are picking private because they don't tolerate the behavior issues public schools have to deal with (at the expense of the kids in class). If a private school does admit students with documented behavioral problems or learning disabilities, it is because they are equipped to handle them in a better way.

Can you link to that thread? I can’t find it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See the thread in elementary forum about the mom being upset her kid is in the inclusion "IEP kids" kids class. A lot of parents are picking private because they don't tolerate the behavior issues public schools have to deal with (at the expense of the kids in class). If a private school does admit students with documented behavioral problems or learning disabilities, it is because they are equipped to handle them in a better way.

Can you link to that thread? I can’t find it

It was deleted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See the thread in elementary forum about the mom being upset her kid is in the inclusion "IEP kids" kids class. A lot of parents are picking private because they don't tolerate the behavior issues public schools have to deal with (at the expense of the kids in class). If a private school does admit students with documented behavioral problems or learning disabilities, it is because they are equipped to handle them in a better way.

Can you link to that thread? I can’t find it

It was deleted.

Can you summarize it? This is a worry of mine too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See the thread in elementary forum about the mom being upset her kid is in the inclusion "IEP kids" kids class. A lot of parents are picking private because they don't tolerate the behavior issues public schools have to deal with (at the expense of the kids in class). If a private school does admit students with documented behavioral problems or learning disabilities, it is because they are equipped to handle them in a better way.

Can you link to that thread? I can’t find it

It was deleted.

Can you summarize it? This is a worry of mine too

A mom complaining her child is miserable in a class filled with “IEP kids” that are loud, disruptive, disrespectful to teacher, etc. Plus some mean girl stuff. She wanted to switch her child out of that class and has complained several times but the principal doesn’t seem to care and it appears she is stuck there for the year.

[Anonymous]

Private schools are a tax rich people pay to keep those who can’t afford private out of their kids‘ classrooms. People who buy into very expensive neighborhoods do essentially the same: pay a tax (in the form of a huge mortgage) to be around their kind of people. The best clubs are exclusive, which is why parents are still trying to get Larla into Harvard and not USF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private schools are a tax rich people pay to keep those who can’t afford private out of their kids‘ classrooms. People who buy into very expensive neighborhoods do essentially the same: pay a tax (in the form of a huge mortgage) to be around their kind of people. The best clubs are exclusive, which is why parents are still trying to get Larla into Harvard and not USF.

You could say that about anything expensive. First class flight tickets, five star hotels, $1,000 a seat fundraisers - all a tax to keep the undesirables out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to a public school in the 90s, it was one of the top public high schools in California. When I went to university, I noticed very little difference between those who went to public vs private schools. The SAT scores in DC private schools are basically comparable to the top publics. I don't get it, i mean if you got millions to burn, so be it. I rather give my kids a house.

Because they don’t want their kids to go to school with black kids.

Quite the opposite in our case. Our public school had less than 10% of the student body not caucasian. We chose private to give our child a more diverse learning environment. He is now in a class where there is a great mix of all races, ethnicities and cultures.

[Anonymous]

There really are no generalizations. Our kids largely grew up in an area with top notch public schools and top notch private schools About the only difference you really saw is that one private had absolutely great art instruction. Other than that -- no differences in academics, sports, or other extras. But, the privates were more geographically diverse obviously drawing from a wider area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Now I live in FFX County and, originally, it didn't cross my mind that we would consider sending our kids to private school. I currently have a child in 9th, 7th, 5th in one of the sought after pyramids. It has been a huge disappointment, most especially elementary school. They don't teach grammar, they don't teach writing, they don't teach good basic study habits. Other than math instruction, I found elementary education entirely lacking. Middle school was MUCH better, but even there, why do the kids read two (not very challenging) books a year in English class?? Partly because the poor English teachers were playing catch up as they tried to teach advanced grammar to kids who don't know their parts of speech. If I had money to burn, I would absolutely send them all to the strongest private school that would accept them.

THIS!

My 6th grader (not FFX county) is home quarantined this week and we’ve given him a crash course in material I learned in 2nd grade. School is not the same as it was 20/30 years ago. If we had the money our kids would absolutely be in private school. I’m hoping we can pull it off for high school and I’m sure they’ll be behind.

Same.
We're in MoCo. And as someone who went to school overseas, I can say that public schools in this area are way weaker than most European public schools, curriculum-wise. It's pretty sad, actually.

[Anonymous]

Based upon what I know of my local public school schedule for K, compared to the private K where my kid is, I am more than happy to keep paying for school (no skin off my back after five years of $$ child care).

For example, my kid's K has a regular daily rhythm. The public K has a different routine every day.

My kid gets 3 hours of outdoor time daily. The public K kids get 20 minutes of recess 4 days a week. NO RECESS on Wednesdays but an extra special so the teachers can have "super planning" time. Unbelievable! (And I used to be a K teacher. I'm enraged for those kids and families.)

My kid's teachers help them prepare snack together and they get to eat outside in a gorgeous courtyard. The public K gets 20 minutes for lunch in a crowded cafeteria at 10 a.m.

Everything my kid's teachers do is focused on social-emotional development. The public K has a 15-minute block at drop-off time devoted to "SEL." What a joke.

Every K teacher and administrator already knows my kid by name and me at least by face. The public school has 700+ children.

My kid's school views every moment as a learning opportunity. The public school principal started her most recent newsletter with: "The kids will NOT be learning if they are NOT in school; learning will ONLY happen when they are here." Patently ridiculous given the past 18 months, but whatever. A clear bid to keep her per-pupil state funding that I can see right through.

Need I go on? It's just a better choice for my kid. I am angry for the families who have no other choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based upon what I know of my local public school schedule for K, compared to the private K where my kid is, I am more than happy to keep paying for school (no skin off my back after five years of $$ child care).

For example, my kid's K has a regular daily rhythm. The public K has a different routine every day.

My kid gets 3 hours of outdoor time daily. The public K kids get 20 minutes of recess 4 days a week. NO RECESS on Wednesdays but an extra special so the teachers can have "super planning" time. Unbelievable! (And I used to be a K teacher. I'm enraged for those kids and families.)

My kid's teachers help them prepare snack together and they get to eat outside in a gorgeous courtyard. The public K gets 20 minutes for lunch in a crowded cafeteria at 10 a.m.

Everything my kid's teachers do is focused on social-emotional development. The public K has a 15-minute block at drop-off time devoted to "SEL." What a joke.

Every K teacher and administrator already knows my kid by name and me at least by face. The public school has 700+ children.

My kid's school views every moment as a learning opportunity. The public school principal started her most recent newsletter with: "The kids will NOT be learning if they are NOT in school; learning will ONLY happen when they are here." Patently ridiculous given the past 18 months, but whatever. A clear bid to keep her per-pupil state funding that I can see right through.

Need I go on? It's just a better choice for my kid. I am angry for the families who have no other choice.

Wow. Let’s just end this discussion right here. OP’s question has been answered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based upon what I know of my local public school schedule for K, compared to the private K where my kid is, I am more than happy to keep paying for school (no skin off my back after five years of $$ child care).

For example, my kid's K has a regular daily rhythm. The public K has a different routine every day.

My kid gets 3 hours of outdoor time daily. The public K kids get 20 minutes of recess 4 days a week. NO RECESS on Wednesdays but an extra special so the teachers can have "super planning" time. Unbelievable! (And I used to be a K teacher. I'm enraged for those kids and families.)

My kid's teachers help them prepare snack together and they get to eat outside in a gorgeous courtyard. The public K gets 20 minutes for lunch in a crowded cafeteria at 10 a.m.

Everything my kid's teachers do is focused on social-emotional development. The public K has a 15-minute block at drop-off time devoted to "SEL." What a joke.

Every K teacher and administrator already knows my kid by name and me at least by face. The public school has 700+ children.

My kid's school views every moment as a learning opportunity. The public school principal started her most recent newsletter with: "The kids will NOT be learning if they are NOT in school; learning will ONLY happen when they are here." Patently ridiculous given the past 18 months, but whatever. A clear bid to keep her per-pupil state funding that I can see right through.

Need I go on? It's just a better choice for my kid. I am angry for the families who have no other choice.

Wow. Let’s just end this discussion right here. OP’s question has been answered.

Yes. And OPs post misses the point—education is a service that is either purchased directly (via private school / tutoring) or indirectly (based on home purchase price / rents, which are adjusted based on public school district location). If you max out housing budget to live in a “preferred” district, then the neighbor that also splashes out for private school seems an outrageous spendthrift. But the same person could buy in a less highly rated school district (saving money in housing expense, and sacrificing neighborhood prestige) and send their kids to private school, but then their neighbor may think their spending on private school is outrageous. Different strokes for different folks. Buy (directly or indirectly) the amount of education and housing that is a good value to you, based on what you can afford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based upon what I know of my local public school schedule for K, compared to the private K where my kid is, I am more than happy to keep paying for school (no skin off my back after five years of $$ child care).

For example, my kid's K has a regular daily rhythm. The public K has a different routine every day.

My kid gets 3 hours of outdoor time daily. The public K kids get 20 minutes of recess 4 days a week. NO RECESS on Wednesdays but an extra special so the teachers can have "super planning" time. Unbelievable! (And I used to be a K teacher. I'm enraged for those kids and families.)

My kid's teachers help them prepare snack together and they get to eat outside in a gorgeous courtyard. The public K gets 20 minutes for lunch in a crowded cafeteria at 10 a.m.

Everything my kid's teachers do is focused on social-emotional development. The public K has a 15-minute block at drop-off time devoted to "SEL." What a joke.

Every K teacher and administrator already knows my kid by name and me at least by face. The public school has 700+ children.

My kid's school views every moment as a learning opportunity. The public school principal started her most recent newsletter with: "The kids will NOT be learning if they are NOT in school; learning will ONLY happen when they are here." Patently ridiculous given the past 18 months, but whatever. A clear bid to keep her per-pupil state funding that I can see right through.

Need I go on? It's just a better choice for my kid. I am angry for the families who have no other choice.

Wow. Let’s just end this discussion right here. OP’s question has been answered.

Yes. And OPs post misses the point—education is a service that is either purchased directly (via private school / tutoring) or indirectly (based on home purchase price / rents, which are adjusted based on public school district location). If you max out housing budget to live in a “preferred” district, then the neighbor that also splashes out for private school seems an outrageous spendthrift. But the same person could buy in a less highly rated school district (saving money in housing expense, and sacrificing neighborhood prestige) and send their kids to private school, but then their neighbor may think their spending on private school is outrageous. Different strokes for different folks. Buy (directly or indirectly) the amount of education and housing that is a good value to you, based on what you can afford.

You’re assuming that people are rational maximizers and that choices actually exist for everyone. They’re not and they don’t.

I’m the PP comparing my kid’s private to our local public.

1) we paid no consideration to schools when we bought because we never thought we’d have a kid; and
2) we actually bought in the “good” school zone for our division without knowing, because we didn’t care at the time.

We were able to have some choice in our housing location, and after having a kid, in prioritizing budget. The family 2 miles down the street in public housing literally can’t choose a better option. And that makes me angry. Every kid deserves recess.