Are private school kids returning to public next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I imagine this will be more the case at less competitive and less expensive schools (parochial, for example).

Why? They are getting bigger bang for the buck. The more pricey schools are probably not worth it for many people with limited funds, especially if they are already in a "good" school district.

It is the reverse. The pricey ones are a big difference from public, the less expensive not so much except for class size, and the teachers can be far less qualified at either compared to public.

Exactly...the schools around $40K are dramatically different than a public school...the ones around $20K not so much

We had a "pilot child" at a 15K school, but are sending all of them next year because the differences between the local public -- highly performing, based on its test scores -- and the private are staggering.

Can you elaborate on what made you so happy with your decision?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
We had a "pilot child" at a 15K school, but are sending all of them next year because the differences between the local public -- highly performing, based on its test scores -- and the private are staggering.

You realize that private schools can create the student body that they want, but public schools cannot, right? What is the FARMs rate at this private school? How many students with SN?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm on the board at my kid's PreK-8, (not DC), and this upcoming year (22-23) is the largest applicant pool and class sizes in our history.

I think a lot of people who stuck with public this year became very dissatisfied very quickly. The staffing shortages, transportation issues, food service snafus, lack of aftercare, constant quarantines... it has just been an endless cluster.

For the dual-income working families I know at privates, the cost of private school is an insurance policy for one's own sanity.

(I work in public education, so I am in touch with both the public & private worlds).

I could see that this past year, but if next year and the year after goes back to "normal" wher kids aren't quarantining left and right, what will the applications look like?

I have a colleague whose preK kids are constantly having to go into 10 day quarantine (not in DC), and it's wreaking havoc with their work. I could see wanting to have some stability in everyone's lives, but I wonder when we go back to "normal", will a lot more parents pull their kids out? I would imagine the tuition will start to climb due to the demand.

[Anonymous]

We are going back to private, can't justify the $50k tuition for the instruction we are getting. Its fine and child enjoys it, but we aren't wealthy and its a real sacrifice. Hopefully public high school won't be the travesty my spouse thinks it will be.

It's in the top 10 according to the very sketchy niche ratings, FWTW https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, our private all boys school in DC hasn’t turned out to be worth the full tuition we pay at over 30 grand a year.

who could have ever predicted this

We actually applied before late 2019 before we knew about covid and got notified that he was accepted 2 weeks before covid shutdown. So in our case it was not related to covid. However, we learned that while maybe one or two classes are better but some are worse, overall it’s not what I expected from one of the top privates in DC. Gave it a fair chance and not going to waste any more there. It’s been a monumental disappointment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, our private all boys school in DC hasn’t turned out to be worth the full tuition we pay at over 30 grand a year.

who could have ever predicted this

We actually applied before late 2019 before we knew about covid and got notified that he was accepted 2 weeks before covid shutdown. So in our case it was not related to covid. However, we learned that while maybe one or two classes are better but some are worse, overall it’s not what I expected from one of the top privates in DC. Gave it a fair chance and not going to waste any more there. It’s been a monumental disappointment.

S the all boys school STA and the top private Sidwell??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, our private all boys school in DC hasn’t turned out to be worth the full tuition we pay at over 30 grand a year.

Are you talking about SAAS?

SAAS.

[Anonymous]

DS switched to a high cost private ES last year from DCPS. It’s been amazing. It will be hard to go back to DCPS but that’s the plan for middle school in a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re moving one back and keeping one in private.

+1

All kids will be back in public next year though.

[Anonymous]

We’re staying at our parochial through 8th. Class sizes are smaller than our upper MCPS school plus teacher aides, more rigor and fabulous teacher/staff. It was a good (but unexpected) decision for our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, our private all boys school in DC hasn’t turned out to be worth the full tuition we pay at over 30 grand a year.

At least you're honest instead of trying to justify value that's not there.....

Thank you, many posts get angry when anything unfavorable is said about the school even though it’s the case or they will spin it to downplay it.
I did not anticipate this and really hoped it would’ve turned out to what I was sold on, I’m actually quite sad about it for my child. But it’s too much of a disappointment. It didn’t have to be as wonderful as the school and parents touted, I just would’ve appreciated more honesty. Take what they say with a grain of salt, there is major bias and you’ll only get information of what they want you to know and all the polish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, our private all boys school in DC hasn’t turned out to be worth the full tuition we pay at over 30 grand a year.

At least you're honest instead of trying to justify value that's not there.....

Thank you, many posts get angry when anything unfavorable is said about the school even though it’s the case or they will spin it to downplay it.
I did not anticipate this and really hoped it would’ve turned out to what I was sold on, I’m actually quite sad about it for my child. But it’s too much of a disappointment. It didn’t have to be as wonderful as the school and parents touted, I just would’ve appreciated more honesty. Take what they say with a grain of salt, there is major bias and you’ll only get information of what they want you to know and all the polish.

This. I wish the school had been what I wanted but it wasn't. Hate to move my kid but this will be the final move back to public. At least he's looking forward to it. He's been bored.

[Anonymous]

For the posters who said their private isn’t worth the cost of tuition… would really love to know which ones!

[Anonymous]

Heck no, children are staying in private. The last straw was when the long-term sub, formerly the school secretary, recommended that my kid be put in a lower-level social studies class for next year. A student with no issues.

Indifferent administration and staff, disproportionate discipline, learning loss, overcrowding, all worsening. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, our private all boys school in DC hasn’t turned out to be worth the full tuition we pay at over 30 grand a year.

At least you're honest instead of trying to justify value that's not there.....

Thank you, many posts get angry when anything unfavorable is said about the school even though it’s the case or they will spin it to downplay it.
I did not anticipate this and really hoped it would’ve turned out to what I was sold on, I’m actually quite sad about it for my child. But it’s too much of a disappointment. It didn’t have to be as wonderful as the school and parents touted, I just would’ve appreciated more honesty. Take what they say with a grain of salt, there is major bias and you’ll only get information of what they want you to know and all the polish.

Thoughtful observation (with no emotion here): Have you read the contentious Sidwell threads and the current GDS thread, just to take it away from the personal for you? I've been on this site long enough to recognize when someone thinks their opinion is the only truth. We all have to keep in mind that people genuinely have different opinions about schools -- all schools -- especially when it comes to value judgements because there are so many variables for each family. What you call "spin" is their true opinion, and what you say is "the case" is your true opinion. This is why people on these threads talk about "fit" so much. What works for one kid doesn't always work for another, even in one family. Kudos to you for recognizing the school you chose is a bad fit for your family and making a change to something you like better. That is hard to do sometimes. But I don't think anyone needs to call all the people who have a different opinion about any school dishonest.