Any other private school parents considering switching to public school?

[Anonymous]

we've made the decision to switch to public. yes, I'm nervous that dc will miss out on the individual attention and all the other extras that privates offer, but HOPEFULLY it will not be the big wrench that I am building it up to be.

[Anonymous]

I'm the OP. We re-enrolled both kids in private school for next year. We will re-evaluate next January, but plan public school in 2010.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of it would depend on their ages. If they are middle school or above, I'd let them stay.

However, why did you choose private school in the first place, if the public schools are good where you live? You don't have to answer that here, but obviously it was worth the $60K before. Is it not worth it now?

OP here. Great question. My kids are elementary aged.

We chose private in large part because of class size and diversity. At the time, DC was shy, quiet & we were concerned our huge, neighborhood public school would push her further into wallflower status--quiet, follows directions, stays below the radar screen, etc. The small, nurturing environment at her private school has allowed her to shine, and I'm confident she could thrive in any school environment at this point--which makes me wonder when is the right time to make the transition to public school.

On the diversity front, the school feels diverse racially and ethnically, but there is zero economic diversity. On the one hand, I wish there was more economic diversity. On the other hand, the school environment doesn't propel any stereotypes. That is, it's hard for the children to connect race or ethnicity with class/sociooeconomic status because everyone is quite rich--there are surgeons, lobbyists and law partners of all colors. (PS I'm a person of color, too)

As a person of color, have you examined the achievement gap at your MoCo school (school stats can be found on the MoCo school web site). My next question is whether or to what extent you are concerned about how the achievement gap will affect your kids in MoCo public schools. I am a person of color and I live in a good school district in MoCo, but I continue to shell out the money every year for private school because the achievement gap concerns me - particularly for kids who are younger and cannot yet advocate for themselves in the classroom. It's a tough call - we struggle with this every year particularly because the money we spend on private school education makes it less possible for our children to enjoy the benefits that come with being able to use that money to educate children in other non-academic ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:8:40 here. Our school IS wonderful. I don't wish to out myself, but will say it is one of the close-in suburb MoCo elementary schools that you hear about a lot on these boards (think Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase districts and all the wonderful elementary schools they have). As I said in an earlier post, I shouldn't have been surprised by how wonderful it is since it reflects so much the wonderful giving community we live in.

Other than socio-economic diversity, how diverse is your local elementary school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of it would depend on their ages. If they are middle school or above, I'd let them stay.

However, why did you choose private school in the first place, if the public schools are good where you live? You don't have to answer that here, but obviously it was worth the $60K before. Is it not worth it now?

OP here. Great question. My kids are elementary aged.

We chose private in large part because of class size and diversity. At the time, DC was shy, quiet & we were concerned our huge, neighborhood public school would push her further into wallflower status--quiet, follows directions, stays below the radar screen, etc. The small, nurturing environment at her private school has allowed her to shine, and I'm confident she could thrive in any school environment at this point--which makes me wonder when is the right time to make the transition to public school.

On the diversity front, the school feels diverse racially and ethnically, but there is zero economic diversity. On the one hand, I wish there was more economic diversity. On the other hand, the school environment doesn't propel any stereotypes. That is, it's hard for the children to connect race or ethnicity with class/sociooeconomic status because everyone is quite rich--there are surgeons, lobbyists and law partners of all colors. (PS I'm a person of color, too)

As a person of color, have you examined the achievement gap at your MoCo school (school stats can be found on the MoCo school web site). My next question is whether or to what extent you are concerned about how the achievement gap will affect your kids in MoCo public schools. I am a person of color and I live in a good school district in MoCo, but I continue to shell out the money every year for private school because the achievement gap concerns me - particularly for kids who are younger and cannot yet advocate for themselves in the classroom. It's a tough call - we struggle with this every year particularly because the money we spend on private school education makes it less possible for our children to enjoy the benefits that come with being able to use that money to educate children in other non-academic ways.

PP, I could have written this. We are AA living in a great MoCo school district. We have our children in private school because of concern over the achievement gap, lack of diversity, and concern over the faculty's potential inability to understand the cultural nuances of educating an AA child if they aren't accustomed to having any or many AA children in the classroom. We struggle with this every year as well, as the tuition for two children greatly limits our ability to afford to do other things. We have re-enrolled. Our contract binding date is June 1, and we are torn every year this time of year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the OP. We re-enrolled both kids in private school for next year. We will re-evaluate next January, but plan public school in 2010.

New poster here who has decided to do the same thing -- two DCs going back to private next year, but we are laying the groundwork for switching to public in 2010.

Has anyone had experience switching at the middle-school level (or shortly before middle-school) from a private school to a large middle school? Our DC would be moving from approximately 60 students per class to 500!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the OP. We re-enrolled both kids in private school for next year. We will re-evaluate next January, but plan public school in 2010.

New poster here who has decided to do the same thing -- two DCs going back to private next year, but we are laying the groundwork for switching to public in 2010.

Has anyone had experience switching at the middle-school level (or shortly before middle-school) from a private school to a large middle school? Our DC would be moving from approximately 60 students per class to 500!

that's exactly what we're facing next year with our ds - small private to large public middle - so any guidance would be great. TIA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of it would depend on their ages. If they are middle school or above, I'd let them stay.

However, why did you choose private school in the first place, if the public schools are good where you live? You don't have to answer that here, but obviously it was worth the $60K before. Is it not worth it now?

OP here. Great question. My kids are elementary aged.

We chose private in large part because of class size and diversity. At the time, DC was shy, quiet & we were concerned our huge, neighborhood public school would push her further into wallflower status--quiet, follows directions, stays below the radar screen, etc. The small, nurturing environment at her private school has allowed her to shine, and I'm confident she could thrive in any school environment at this point--which makes me wonder when is the right time to make the transition to public school.

On the diversity front, the school feels diverse racially and ethnically, but there is zero economic diversity. On the one hand, I wish there was more economic diversity. On the other hand, the school environment doesn't propel any stereotypes. That is, it's hard for the children to connect race or ethnicity with class/sociooeconomic status because everyone is quite rich--there are surgeons, lobbyists and law partners of all colors. (PS I'm a person of color, too)

As a person of color, have you examined the achievement gap at your MoCo school (school stats can be found on the MoCo school web site). My next question is whether or to what extent you are concerned about how the achievement gap will affect your kids in MoCo public schools. I am a person of color and I live in a good school district in MoCo, but I continue to shell out the money every year for private school because the achievement gap concerns me - particularly for kids who are younger and cannot yet advocate for themselves in the classroom. It's a tough call - we struggle with this every year particularly because the money we spend on private school education makes it less possible for our children to enjoy the benefits that come with being able to use that money to educate children in other non-academic ways.

PP, I could have written this. We are AA living in a great MoCo school district. We have our children in private school because of concern over the achievement gap, lack of diversity, and concern over the faculty's potential inability to understand the cultural nuances of educating an AA child if they aren't accustomed to having any or many AA children in the classroom. We struggle with this every year as well, as the tuition for two children greatly limits our ability to afford to do other things. We have re-enrolled. Our contract binding date is June 1, and we are torn every year this time of year.

I'm the OP. What I see in terms of achievement gap for our MoCo school is pretty consistent with national data. As a child growing up in an affluent, all white suburb, I remember overt stereotypes about what I was "supposed" to be good at or bad at (art, sports, math, music,etc). Our local public school has diversity, but in the form that reinforces stereotypes both in achievement and socioeconomically. A big part of our decision to reenroll was the idea that my children's teachers have specific experience with academically advanced children of all races and ethnicities--that my kids wouldn't be treated as anomolies in that regard. Our reenrollment ultimately came down to our strong comfort level that our kids are in a safe and nurturing place for the school day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8:40 here. Our school IS wonderful. I don't wish to out myself, but will say it is one of the close-in suburb MoCo elementary schools that you hear about a lot on these boards (think Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase districts and all the wonderful elementary schools they have). As I said in an earlier post, I shouldn't have been surprised by how wonderful it is since it reflects so much the wonderful giving community we live in.

Other than socio-economic diversity, how diverse is your local elementary school?

If it's got real socio-economic diversity, that's huge frankly. Those kinds of schools tend to have genuine diversity, across the board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8:40 here. Our school IS wonderful. I don't wish to out myself, but will say it is one of the close-in suburb MoCo elementary schools that you hear about a lot on these boards (think Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase districts and all the wonderful elementary schools they have). As I said in an earlier post, I shouldn't have been surprised by how wonderful it is since it reflects so much the wonderful giving community we live in.

Other than socio-economic diversity, how diverse is your local elementary school?

If it's got real socio-economic diversity, that's huge frankly. Those kinds of schools tend to have genuine diversity, across the board.

To be quite frank, that has not been my experience with Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase. Let's be honest, not much socio-economic diversity exists in these communities, which essentially means the public schools in those areas are probably pretty homogenous because unlike private schools that can make a commitment to having a diverse student body, public schools are a reflection of the communities in which exist. So my point is I don't think there is any "real" socio-economic (or other) diversity at the schools in the districts mentioned by 8:40.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8:40 here. Our school IS wonderful. I don't wish to out myself, but will say it is one of the close-in suburb MoCo elementary schools that you hear about a lot on these boards (think Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase districts and all the wonderful elementary schools they have). As I said in an earlier post, I shouldn't have been surprised by how wonderful it is since it reflects so much the wonderful giving community we live in.

Other than socio-economic diversity, how diverse is your local elementary school?

If it's got real socio-economic diversity, that's huge frankly. Those kinds of schools tend to have genuine diversity, across the board.

To be quite frank, that has not been my experience with Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase. Let's be honest, not much socio-economic diversity exists in these communities, which essentially means the public schools in those areas are probably pretty homogenous because unlike private schools that can make a commitment to having a diverse student body, public schools are a reflection of the communities in which exist. So my point is I don't think there is much "real" socio-economic (or other) diversity at the schools in the districts mentioned by 8:40.

[Anonymous]

Your kids have attended the public schools in all three of these areas?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

PP, I could have written this. We are AA living in a great MoCo school district. We have our children in private school because of concern over the achievement gap, lack of diversity, and concern over the faculty's potential inability to understand the cultural nuances of educating an AA child if they aren't accustomed to having any or many AA children in the classroom. We struggle with this every year as well, as the tuition for two children greatly limits our ability to afford to do other things. We have re-enrolled. Our contract binding date is June 1, and we are torn every year this time of year.

So in comparison, your private school is more successful in these areas I've highlighted? I am especially interested in how the faculty is trained in understanding the cultural nuances of educating an AA child. I know that in Mo Co, many teachers are trained in diversity - particularly in understanding and appreciating cultural differences. But perhaps your private school is smaller. So there is more "quality control" (for lack of a better term) in regard to diversity training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kids have attended the public schools in all three of these areas?

No, but I've visited some of the schools and I have friends whose kids have attended some of the schools in these areas and I've visted the MCPS website on numerous occasions. I also live in MoCo so the evidence I have to support my statement is more than anecdotal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kids have attended the public schools in all three of these areas?

Seriously?