Really, what are you getting for $25,000 a year?

[Anonymous]

As I research schools, both private & public, I wanted to know what is it that you're really getting for $25,000 a year? Not to pick on this school particularly, but Beauvoir, only because I was just on their website. I've found so many public and charter schools offering quality educational programs. Is it the perceived elitist status? Do you only want your children around other children of a certain status? I'm not trying to fuel a fire, which I'm sure I will anyway, but I'm curious. Oh, before I'm bashed about this, YES, I can afford it, but I want a first hand account from someone that actually is flipping this enormous bill, & why it's worth it.

[Anonymous]

Slightly smaller classes, more teachers in the classroom, more and probably higher quality arts/music/PE, less standardized testing, better organized aftercare, great facilities (not just greenery but well-equipped science labs, e.g.).

I'm not saying that these factors differentiate all private from all public schools or differentiate private from public schools on average, but these were the differences that emerged from the particular set of options we considered.

[Anonymous]

There are many good public schools. But we don't live in one of those districts, and we love our neighborhood and don't want to move. The schools in our district offer a poor quality education with little individualized attention and few curricular options or innovations. For that $25K our child will get one year of quality education. It's worth it to us, as our kids are the most important things in our lives right now.

[Anonymous]

No one wants to admit it, but I do think part of the draw is the elitism, and status that goes with attendance, and the belief that these pricey schools will ensure DC is admitted into a top university, ie. Ivy League.

[Anonymous]

Are you speaking for yourself or attributing motives to others?

[Anonymous]

I agree with everything 12:20 listed. There is an additional factor that I will add at the risk of being flamed as elitist/snotty. In private schools, you tend to get highly involved parents. Families that are willing to fork over this much money tend to be very interested in ensuring that their kids get a good education. Many volunteer countless hours and dollars to the school. But even those who rarely step foot on campus are extremely likely to oversee homework and send the message explicitly and implicitly that school work is really important. And learning and doing well in school seems to be a shared value among the kids ... no one will be considered "uncool" for doing well. Involved parents are of course everywhere, public and private. And those parents who go private for elitist/social club reasons may involve themselves in the school for non-academic reasons. But overall, I feel my observation is accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want a first hand account from someone that actually is flipping this enormous bill, & why it's worth it.

OP, no one else can justify why you should pay in excess of $25K for tuition. This is something you will need to evaluate given your financial priorities, your child's needs and what you value in an education. Visit the schools. See what they have to offer. Compare what they have to offer with what your local public school offers. Decide what's best for your child. Why it's worth it to others won't help you determine why it is or is not worth it to you. It's a very personal decision.

[Anonymous]

I have not yet had experience with the public schools but will be soon. My son was in a private school this last year and these are the things I liked about it and hope to find in the public school system.
Smaller class size
Immediate feedback from the teacher on my sons performance (or lack of) and activities
Spanish, trip to the library in pre-K, extracurricular activities
Parents involvement with the children,
Volunteer activities for parents
teacher patience

What lacked was
Sport activities which we would really like
people from diverse backgrounds

[Anonymous]

An ulcer.

Much smaller classes and low student to teacher ratio. The teachers really have an opportunity to get to know your child. They are "customer service oriented," meaning that they are always available to you, have the time and resources to do many of the little things that add up (for example, calling you to make sure your child is feeling better after going home sick or sending a hand written card to welcome you to the class) and want to make sure that you, your child, and the family, are basically "getting your money's worth."

An opportunity for my DC to be surrounded by very, very bright and motivated kids. Academic success is not a hope or dream. It is expected.

An opportunity, believe it or not, for my DC to be exposed to a greater diversity than our Bethesda public shool would provide. We've met families at the school from all corners of the world, with jobs in both the private sector as well as public service/non-profit/government. Unlike our cookie-cutter, affluent and white neighbors, our school friends are of so many colors and nationalities, and bring with them a very broad and often differing world view.

A feeling that the school is less prone to bullying and other discipline issues.

The thrill of walking through the Cathedral close every day.

But mainly an ulcer.

[Anonymous]

Less disruptive, unruly behavior within the classroom, due to the weed-out process during admissions season?

Because of the temperament of my child, that's worth quite a lot of money to me, considering our local public elementary school. Maybe not $25K, but quite a lot.

[Anonymous]

It also depends on the grade you're looking at. For pre-K to about 4th, most of the good public schools are just fine. We went private (we're in DC) when it became clear that our public school was falling behind in foreign language, art, and music, and just didn't have the range of activities and sports that the private schools had. Plus, as our kids got older, we just didn't want to have to deal with increasing discipline problems that were distracting to the teachers and the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Less disruptive, unruly behavior within the classroom, due to the weed-out process during admissions season?

Because of the temperament of my child, that's worth quite a lot of money to me, considering our local public elementary school. Maybe not $25K, but quite a lot.

Just how do they weed-out the disruptive, unruly ones?

[Anonymous]

Playdates and recommendations. Not a perfect process, of course.

[Anonymous]

To OP: why do you concern yourself with what others feel they are getting for their $25,000 a year. Where and why you send your child to a particular school is yours to make and yours alone. By the tone of your posting, it sounds as though you don't think people are really getting that much more than public or charter, so perhaps that is the route you should go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Playdates and recommendations. Not a perfect process, of course.

What they really need is a way to get rid of the disruptive and unruly parents. That would be worth a whole lot more than $25,000 in my book.