Any benefit of private elementary school?

[Anonymous]

Sent kids to big3 in 9th from publics. Not academically “behind” at all; academics really load up in US and big jump for lifers. Kids college outcomes were excellent. We made the choice for each school - ES, MS, HS - based on our assessment of best educational and social/emotional opportunities for our kids and not the finances (which I know the private lifers will scoff at but whatever, we did). Neighborhood schools in our specific situation were a real advantage that we took advantage of. Spread out lifers over larger geography at a private school with more limited friend options (given small classes) wasn’t ideal for our kids in elementary and middle.

[Anonymous]

No benefit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sent kids to big3 in 9th from publics. Not academically “behind” at all; academics really load up in US and big jump for lifers. Kids college outcomes were excellent. We made the choice for each school - ES, MS, HS - based on our assessment of best educational and social/emotional opportunities for our kids and not the finances (which I know the private lifers will scoff at but whatever, we did). Neighborhood schools in our specific situation were a real advantage that we took advantage of. Spread out lifers over larger geography at a private school with more limited friend options (given small classes) wasn’t ideal for our kids in elementary and middle.

Private lifer here to say na, not scoffing, we did the same we just didn't get into our lottery choice and we did get into our number 1 private school choice.

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that families may be looking for a specific feature - single sex school, for example. Or faith-based education. In these cases, the only options are private.

[Anonymous]

No benefit at all. You can even see the lower school buildings in many private schools. They are even smaller than in many public schools. I think middle and upper school tend to be better in private. Not lower school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today I visited a good public elementary school in DC. While I understand that kids in public high schools may have some behavioral issues, what I saw at the elementary level was that this public school is much better than my current private school.

To begin with, it has four different teachers specialized in math, science, social studies, and English. At our current private school, which is considered “elite,” the homeroom teacher teaches all of those subjects, and not especially well to begin with.

Yes, class sizes are slightly bigger in the public school, but are there really any meaningful benefits to a private elementary school? At least compared with our current private school, I could not see any major advantage.

Unless you can comfortably afford it all, no point in wasting money on private elementary school, save money for their colleges and your retirement. Life is expensive and tough for upper middle class, no freebies until system drains everything you frugally saved to make you poor.

Yeah I was pretty horrified that we received no financial aid offers from the private schools we applied our kid to this year. I thought we'd get some but nothing. And I think it was all because we've been frugally saving for our retirement since our 20's. Did not realize we wouldn't get FA unless we spent all of our money instead of saving it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today I visited a good public elementary school in DC. While I understand that kids in public high schools may have some behavioral issues, what I saw at the elementary level was that this public school is much better than my current private school.

To begin with, it has four different teachers specialized in math, science, social studies, and English. At our current private school, which is considered “elite,” the homeroom teacher teaches all of those subjects, and not especially well to begin with.

Yes, class sizes are slightly bigger in the public school, but are there really any meaningful benefits to a private elementary school? At least compared with our current private school, I could not see any major advantage.

Unless you can comfortably afford it all, no point in wasting money on private elementary school, save money for their colleges and your retirement. Life is expensive and tough for upper middle class, no freebies until system drains everything you frugally saved to make you poor.

Yeah I was pretty horrified that we received no financial aid offers from the private schools we applied our kid to this year. I thought we'd get some but nothing. And I think it was all because we've been frugally saving for our retirement since our 20's. Did not realize we wouldn't get FA unless we spent all of our money instead of saving it.

You do realize that other families of are paying for your child when you get financial aid. So yes, it is intended for those who could not otherwise afford it, not those who would prefer to save it for later or spend it on something else...

[Anonymous]

The best part of private elementary is the classmates and their families. There is a level of sophistication and intelligence that only exists at private schools.

The unwashed masses in public elementary are dealing with issues we pay to avoid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today I visited a good public elementary school in DC. While I understand that kids in public high schools may have some behavioral issues, what I saw at the elementary level was that this public school is much better than my current private school.

To begin with, it has four different teachers specialized in math, science, social studies, and English. At our current private school, which is considered “elite,” the homeroom teacher teaches all of those subjects, and not especially well to begin with.

Yes, class sizes are slightly bigger in the public school, but are there really any meaningful benefits to a private elementary school? At least compared with our current private school, I could not see any major advantage.

Unless you can comfortably afford it all, no point in wasting money on private elementary school, save money for their colleges and your retirement. Life is expensive and tough for upper middle class, no freebies until system drains everything you frugally saved to make you poor.

Yeah I was pretty horrified that we received no financial aid offers from the private schools we applied our kid to this year. I thought we'd get some but nothing. And I think it was all because we've been frugally saving for our retirement since our 20's. Did not realize we wouldn't get FA unless we spent all of our money instead of saving it.

If you are cheap you can deal with the consequences. Have you considered the possibility that the admissions office did not think you were worth financial aid? Your savings are probably just pocket change for most of the families if you really are not willing to pay tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Today I visited a good public elementary school in DC. While I understand that kids in public high schools may have some behavioral issues, what I saw at the elementary level was that this public school is much better than my current private school.

To begin with, it has four different teachers specialized in math, science, social studies, and English. At our current private school, which is considered “elite,” the homeroom teacher teaches all of those subjects, and not especially well to begin with.

Yes, class sizes are slightly bigger in the public school, but are there really any meaningful benefits to a private elementary school? Compared with our current private school, I don't see any major advantage.

The biggest benefits are small class size so the teacher knows your kid very well. There are many other benefits: more PE, art, world languages, and performance chances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re at a “big3” elementary and I absolutely see the advantages… our local public is 26 kids with one teacher. Significantly less iPad time, more outside time, staff that aren’t stressed and under resourced and who get professional development, a lot of wonderful social-emotional learning, high quality specials (STEAM/science, language, music), fewer behavioral disruptions, and most importantly hands-on play-based learning the kids love, no endless worksheets and high pressure testing making them hate school.

However I ask myself every day if all that is worth the sky high tuition price?! Would the money be better spent invested for their future?

I think Big 3 might not worth it for elementary. Smaller, cheaper, private will just do very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school is generally a waste of money in the elementary years, but many parents feel that they must join the private school pipeline early on to ensure that their child gets into a ‘good private.’ Public elementary school is generally equal to or better than private in some cases or subject areas - e.g. math. The differentiation between public and private starts to show up in the middle and high school years. The best advice is to save yourself $250,000 by sending your kid to public elementary and then apply out to private for 6th.

I hear you on differentiation beginning in middle and high school, but IMO that is too late to be building high expectations and work ethic. We don't have crazy behavioral issues, and I still opted for the higher class size private because they are drilled in math, language arts, spelling, and grammar, not wasting time "thinking about thinking" and peer reviewing written work. I don't think core academic subjects during the elementary school day are the main place for real creativity to be fostered. I think elementary (particularly K-4) is time to really learn the basics and build a strong foundation. 3rd graders can do 20 problems a night of graded math homework and still play and explore. Public school doesn't seem to believe that anymore.

[Anonymous]

Our private elementary is already differentiated from public. The low achievers are counseled out and also kept out through the admissions process. The classes are all a higher level than their public counterpart.

[Anonymous]

It depends.

If you personally don't see it, then in your circumstnace, no.

[Anonymous]

IYKYK