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[quote=Anonymous]Our DS in 5th grade is at a very small pvt school.  We jumped him to 4th grade private from public when after 3rd grade we recognized he was struggling.  Although we wondered if he was ADHD, we didn't receive a firm diagnosis for dyslexia and ADHD until last summer after he completed 4th.  This year in 5th, we have a very strong team of teachers providing reading tutoring and helping us with supporting him academically in addition to him receiving outside therapy and we just started medication.

I would say that even in private school, there are good/bad teachers.  For example, his teacher in 4th grade was horrible.  Beyond horrible.  I truly believe he would have been better off in public that's how bad she was.  This year, although his teachers are not horrible and there is one superstar teacher who I bow down to, I would suggest that the private school fit is better but depending on finances, it depends on what public school you would compare it to.  For instance, we are considering public middle school for him next year given that we've decided to apply to another private school and if we don't get in, we would opt for the public v. returning to this school again.

So my lesson learned is that while private will offer potentially more tools than public and the very huge advantage is smaller class sizes with teachers who will be more open to working 1:1 with your kid, there's no guarantee it is mountains better than another public option.  What really factors in to supporting your kid includes:

1. Quality of teachers - first and foremost - get a teacher who in on the ball and cares - it doesn't matter if public/private
2. The administration of that school ditto above.  Our public school was really good.  I would say better than the current private school administration.  Obviously, there's just limits to how public can help but apples to apples, although we are at a very reputable and popular private school in the community, the general admin SUCKS.
3. The determination of what specifically your kid needs to thrive:  for us I'm learned that DS needs social opportunities.  Whether he just as ADHD/dyslexia or is maybe on the spectrum, he has some issues impacting emotional awareness - although I'd love to keep him in small classes, we think he's better off finding his own group in a diversity environment - if there's only 11 kids or something in his class - he's at the mercy of bonding with those 11 kids and that is it.  That's one example.  We can always find outside support, it really is about what your kid needs specifically v. the idea of private v. public school.  Like anything, it's all about drilling down to specifics.

There's also cost to consider of course.  You're gonna pay for outside support throughout duration of school - many years more to go.

Good luck!!![/quote]

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