If going private from public - when does it actually matter?

[Anonymous]

Nobody who spends 27 K a year to send their kids to Beauvoir is going to agree that any public or charter options are equivalent.

Maybe it's better, in fact, I hope it's better for that kind of money. But it's sure as hell not THAT much better than the top charters. Personally I can't stand the Beauvoir parents (many in our neighborhood), so avoiding them is also a plus.

[Anonymous]

Well, I am not pp. but by saving their money for college instead of paying for private elementary, parents could not require their children to take out loans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I switch to private at college and graduate school. I don't see the need to pay for it prior as no one cares where you went to preschool or elementary school when you are 40. Rather kids be debt free.

How would your kids acquire debt by going thru private preschool or elementary school? Puzzling.

I'm guessing that the PP is putting extra money towards college rather than spend on private preschool and elementary. We are doing the same, hoping to avoid crushing undergraduate debt for our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

[Anonymous]

If parents spend too much on private school when they really can't afford it they will have trouble paying for college later on an thus their kids may have to take out loans. Many prefer to go public, save and be able to pay for kids college. I'm well aware that many in the DC area can afford to do both.

[Anonymous]

CM has private school size classes. I think that may be what others are referring to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CM has private school size classes. I think that may be what others are referring to.

It's so much more....we are getting a free private school education. I went to private school and I'm amazed at the things CM offers my child. Its an amazing place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

Do you have a child at CM? Why do you need to know the schedule if you don't have a child there?

[Anonymous]

I went to DCPS through middle school and then a private DC high school. This seemed about right to me, and most of my eighth grade cohort of "smart kids" did the same thing. As a smart but lazy student, I benefited from the private school atmosphere with a lot of very high achieving classmates and a college-focused curriculum.

Of course, DC now has a lot of new and exciting public programs that can provide similar rigor and focus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I switch to private at college and graduate school. I don't see the need to pay for it prior as no one cares where you went to preschool or elementary school when you are 40. Rather kids be debt free.

The kids themselves might care. You and many other people asset that the two educational experiences are equal and interchangeable -- but you're wrong.

The private education my elementary-aged child is getting Is, on balance, superior to what MoCo and dcps is offering (I would never live in Virginia so their offerings are irrelevant).

I'd have to disagree with this. We looked at private (and would have gone had we not got into the charter school we wanted), however, my daughter is learning two languages at her charter school. Her class size is the same at the Big 3 schools we looked at (and smaller then several other DC privates). I would say, MoCo publics and many DCPS schools, probably are not the same education levels but many of the charter school elementry programs (YuYing, MV, CM) are on par with private school education.

We actually looked at YY and my neighbor-friend's kid goes there so I'm very familiar with their day to day experience (staff, staff experience, schedule, curriculum especially, facility) Once you take away the mandarin instruction, it's not so special. For some people, mandarin IS super special and that is great.

CM, IT and the like really can't compare with Maret, Beauvoir, St Albans and their ilk. Possibly in ratios, but that's easy to quantify so that's what charter parents love to hold up as evidence Then they announce they're the same, we're done here, matter settled.

I posted on the other thread. DH and I went K-12 private (and college, grad schools, etc) and send our kid to YY. We REALLY wanted Mandarin and would have paid for a private school that offered immersion Mandarin but for the other private schools like Beauvoir, etc that did not offer Mandarin - It was hard to justify the costs. I simply doubt Beauvoir is 30K worth of superior to YY or any of the other charters for elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Are these private preschools teaching anything different from what a DCPS or a Charter teaches? Colors and numbers are the same everywhere. With tools of the mind and Reggio I feel that DC is on board with their early education programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are these private preschools teaching anything different from what a DCPS or a Charter teaches? Colors and numbers are the same everywhere. With tools of the mind and Reggio I feel that DC is on board with their early education programs.

The same everywhere and most upper middle class kids enter school knowing that stuff and reading and doing math anyway.

[Anonymous]

We just switched DC to private at 6th grade. I do sometimes find myself wondering if it is worth the cost. DC does seem a little more challenged and a little bit happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

Do you have a child at CM? Why do you need to know the schedule if you don't have a child there?

Maybe a prospective parent would be interested in learning a little more about how they impart that crucial foreign language instruction, to give just one example. Is it daily? Weekly? Only after school?

Do they use Singapore math? Everyday Math? Something novel?

How often is studio art offered during the school day? How long a bloc is devoted each day to project work?

IME, schools that have a plan are excited to convey this detailed info to prospective parents.

Do all the teachers have masters in education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

Do you have a child at CM? Why do you need to know the schedule if you don't have a child there?

Maybe a prospective parent would be interested in learning a little more about how they impart that crucial foreign language instruction, to give just one example. Is it daily? Weekly? Only after school?

Do they use Singapore math? Everyday Math? Something novel?

How often is studio art offered during the school day? How long a bloc is devoted each day to project work?

IME, schools that have a plan are excited to convey this detailed info to prospective parents.

Do all the teachers have masters in education?

And if they are one of the 14 lucky people who lottery in (minus sibs) or the 800+ on the waitlist who get in. I'm sure all those questions are answered for them. I notice that none of the other charter schools have this information on their website either - I get it, you didn't get into CM. You go onto any thread about CM and jump all over it. Maybe next year!