Private school of you live in a great public school district?

[Anonymous]

We moved to an area with the school system in mind. We are in the Wooten cluster with a great elementary school. My husband and I both have advanced degrees. Education is very important to us. I came from a top private prep school and my husband went to good public schools, so we have an idea what each can offer. Our experiences are over 30 years out of date.

Curious as to why people choose private schools over public schools when they live in a great system? Has anyone tried a very good public school and decided to transfer to private? If so, why?

I'm less concerned with positioning to get into an Ivy school or making future business connections, which I realize is a benefit of private schools. I tend to believe from my own experience and teaching at the University level, that talented kids with high IQs thrive in either setting. How much value is a private school providing for a kid who would succeed anywhere? The value seems to more at the mid level. I assume private schools can help kids who struggle in the large classroom settings or kids who need extra help. The smaller class size is appealing. Are there other reasons to go for a private school?

We don't know yet how our kids will do, they are preschool now. I want to start thinking about this now since financial planning would be required..

[Anonymous]

This does not apply to everyone, but African American children do better in private schools over public. No one is sure why. This is true even in "good" school districts.

[Anonymous]

This is secondhand and cursory, so take it FWIW, but we know people who have moved to towns specifically for their well-known school systems (Lexington, Mass.; the Somerset district of Chevy Chase) and been disappointed with the elementary schools. The common reaction is that there's nothing "wrong" with the schools, but they are not inspiring. Would they find private schools more inspiring? That, I don't know.

[Anonymous]

We are in the same debate - I am advocating for a private parochial school for its small sizes and smaller 'community'. My husband is worried about some of the limitations this might have in terms of resources offered to students. We have tried to talk to many parents in both set of schools in are area to make the determination. Both certainly have befefits. Good luck

[Anonymous]

I live in a neighborhood with 'great' private schools (supposedly) and have already decided that I will put my kids (2 and 4) in private schools if (1) they are bullied or outcast in public school for some reason; (2) they have a learning disability or special need that can't be handled by the public school; (3) their personality or learning style somehow makes it so they can't suceed in private school; (4) they are just flat out miserable and failing for any reason.

In other words, I intend to try to public schools and if for any reason my kids aren't doing well in that setting, I'll do whatever I need to do to make sure they find a better situation.

[Anonymous]

Some reasons, not necessarily mine:

Ability to have religious education and to pray at school in a structured way

Increased accountability of teachers/administration

Safety (an overrated concern in my view but I know people who consider this)

A small environment at which small issues may be identified before becomming large issues

View that a child's time may be wasted in classes that are not particularly challenging or in which the bulk of attention is directed at kids with behavious issues (this is likely more perception than reality bu I would think it depends on the school)

For kids who may give in to peer pressure, an attempt to find an envronment where peers are academically and socially engaged in a way that the parents approve (though of course kids everywhere sneak around)

Single sex education

[Anonymous]

The best private schools tend to be in areas with good public schools.

[Anonymous]

Parents sometimes become frustrated with the "politics" of MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Escape from the SOLS!!!!

[Anonymous]

That last one was unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

I shifted back and forth between private (Catholic) and public schools. I was a kid who was going to do well anywhere because I worked really hard. I went to a public kindergarten, and then funding cuts hit the public schools, so my parents moved me to Catholic. I stayed there for 6 years, and my parents found the resources limited for the junior high level, so they moved me to public. I got far more advanced courses in the public school than I did in private...but I was miserable (tough age, more than anything else). They gave me my choice for high school, and I switched back to Catholic. I definitely missed out on some courses I could have taken in the public, but I was much happier than I think I would have been in public (and, thanks to my public school junior high, I started high school in a lot of sophomore level classes). My high school was not fancy or well-known or highbrow...but I still got into Georgetown (despite mediocre SATs).

So, I guess I'm saying that my parents moved me to the environment they thought would be best for me, when they thought it was best, until they felt I was old enough to make my own decisions. There are definitely advantages/disadvantages to both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That last one was unnecessary.

I don't think so... I HATE the public schools are forced to "teach to the test".

[Anonymous]

what is SOLS?

[Anonymous]

PP here (escape the SOL):
I think you misunderstood me. The SOL is the high stakes test in Virginia. The public schools end up teaching to it - even the best. You escape a great deal of test prep if your kids are in private school. So, my comment was very relevant. If anything drives us to private school, it will be the SOLS.

Yes, it is funny that Virginia named their high stakes test in such a funny way. "Standards of Learning" is what it stands for. Unfortunately, "S$%^ out of luck" works too.

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher at a public school and we are thinking of sending our kids to private school. While the school that I teach in is good and students can get a great education, I am frustrated by the discipline issues at our school. Students can act up again and again and virtually nothing happens to them. There is also a lack of respect from many students which drives me crazy. It is frustrating to me as a teacher to try to follow through on the rules, just to have nothing happen. SOLs are another issue that have really hurt many classes at our school. We are forced to teach to the test and move at such a fast pace to cover all the content that students really get nothing from the class. So for those reasons, as well as some others, we are considering sending our kids to private school.