Why do so many folks pay for private school in this area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me, public school classes are too big. You can't get a great education when the teachers are stretched so thin. My kids' public school teachers were great, but I preferred them to get the sense of community and connection that comes with a private school.

No better way to get a sense of community than with publics, I would think

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reduce tuition? Our school made lots of modifications, upgrades and structural improvements due to covid. Even the high tech cameras in every room come at a price. No, tuition was not reduced. But anyone was free to enroll in public school and then have zero instruction.

You mean public education is free. You paid for cameras.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reduce tuition? Our school made lots of modifications, upgrades and structural improvements due to covid. Even the high tech cameras in every room come at a price. No, tuition was not reduced. But anyone was free to enroll in public school and then have zero instruction.

You mean public education is free. You paid for cameras.

And paid for my son’s public school cameras as well

[Anonymous]

There are a million threads on this if you want to read the millions of reasons people make this choice. And if you’re really curious, go your some private schools and see the differences for yourself. The experience between private and public is quite different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a million threads on this if you want to read the millions of reasons people make this choice. And if you’re really curious, go your some private schools and see the differences for yourself. The experience between private and public is quite different.

Good to see so many question this, and I understand why they would.

[Anonymous]

For Maryland just Google Kirwan Commission. Read it and then return to this thread with comments. We PAY a lot for public school jobs program. It is not primarily an education system and after the Blueprint For Maryland we are going to crush business and pay even more for this sub-optimal education system. We did it before with Thornton Commission - overpaid in 2003 and got worse results...rinse and repeat in 25 years.

https://conduitstreet.mdcounties.org/2019/02/14/kirwan-commission-releases-report/

[Anonymous]

For us, because mcps is a Covid mess. Virtual learning was awful, I want my kid in person and I want stability. I’m
Also enjoying the 16 kids in class compared to 25 too ( 4th grade) our HHI is only 150k so we’re at a cheaper Christian school but so far it’s been worth it for us.

[Anonymous]

We just moved here, and I wondered as well as our child is approaching that age. No outside influences (pressure to keep up) here as most of my neighbors here and friends from home are public sponsors. Usually, private schools in other areas thrive because they are lacking resources and funding. But, in speaking with co-workers with school age kids, that isn’t really the case here - all students have chrome books, lots of special programs including magnets, good sports funding, a reflection of the community as a whole. We moved partly because the public schools in Montgomery County are recognized nationally. With 4 or 8 year tuition costing as much as many homes outside of this area, why would those who have to stretch (or are not wealthy) not attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So curious, as this area is recognized as a top 10 public school system in the nation. In this climate of social change, where as diversity / inclusion / anti-privilege is more driving change, why subject yourself to the perception (whether right or wrong) of privilege, especially when AOs are now pivoting towards more socially well-rounded experiences and stories of struggle / perseverance. Is it worth the price, stress, dealing with the Jones, etc?

I think you have some misconceptions. 1. You assume there is something bad about privilege. There is not. 2. Also, why would people care what other people thought? 3. For most people in privates that are just not that expensive relative to income. 4. Not aware of any stress going to a private. A lot less stress actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reduce tuition? Our school made lots of modifications, upgrades and structural improvements due to covid. Even the high tech cameras in every room come at a price. No, tuition was not reduced. But anyone was free to enroll in public school and then have zero instruction.

You mean public education is free. You paid for cameras.

And paid for my son’s public school cameras as well

NP. Yes, our tuition paid for cameras. It also paid the salaries of the dedicated teachers who taught hybrid all year. They held extra office hours. They held seminars with students contributing simultaneously from the classroom and individual homes. They led club meetings, including my daughter’s STEM club. When it wasn’t her turn in the classroom, her teacher sent materials to our house so she could do the same experiments at home. They held social events (virtual trivia nights, parking lot chalking, etc.). They did the best they could in a terrible situation. If the school had reduced our tuition, these teachers would have suffered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not again…

I think this is a good question - will await responses

How about just using the search function.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me, public school classes are too big. You can't get a great education when the teachers are stretched so thin. My kids' public school teachers were great, but I preferred them to get the sense of community and connection that comes with a private school.

No better way to get a sense of community than with publics, I would think

Not with such huge classes. It's not fair to the teachers, nor the students.


My kids attended public school through ES. Private is a stretch for us, but it's better, as long as the kid seems happy in the environment. Not every private is right for every kid. And many kids do well in publics. But no matter what, classes sizes ranging 10-18 will be better than class sizes ranging 21-32.

[Anonymous]

This area is striver central. People will do anything they can to give their kids even a razor thin edge over others

[Anonymous]

The public schools in this area don’t match our family’s values. We found what we wanted in our religious private school. I went to public schools as a kid and always thought that’s where my children would go as well. But I’ve found that in order to get an equivalent education to what I had, I had to send them to private. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So curious, as this area is recognized as a top 10 public school system in the nation. In this climate of social change, where as diversity / inclusion / anti-privilege is more driving change, why subject yourself to the perception (whether right or wrong) of privilege, especially when AOs are now pivoting towards more socially well-rounded experiences and stories of struggle / perseverance. Is it worth the price, stress, dealing with the Jones, etc?

I think you have some misconceptions. 1. You assume there is something bad about privilege. There is not. 2. Also, why would people care what other people thought? 3. For most people in privates that are just not that expensive relative to income. 4. Not aware of any stress going to a private. A lot less stress actually.

Actually, I don’t have any issue with privilege, but AOs and recruiters do. It’s of societal pressure, just like folks who move with the herd on privates feel as they keep up with Jones.