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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The reality is clear:  private schools are a bubble that needs to burst.  By this I mean, the tuitions have been rising at an obscene rate for so long that it can no longer be justified (or paid) by any but the wealthiest among us.  For years, middle and upper middle class professionals could justify scrimping and saving in order to provide private education for their children.  Those days are ending quickly.  Now at 40k and rising, those families risk putting themselves into dire financial straits in order to pay the tuition (and, as the op suggests, all the extra fundraising contributions, fees, etc).  It is simply not sustainable.
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I think this is actually a good point - especially in the DMV.  All 4 of my kids have done a combo of public and private.

I grew up in the metro area of a large Midwestern city.  Most of the private schools there are parochial or academic specialty (STEM).  There are maybe 1-2 purely indepedent schools worth mentioning, but that is it. There is no market for high ticket independent schools there.  People invest in the public schools which, by and large are above average.

I have lived here for 24 years and I am often amazed and the number and cost of private school education here. In my private school parent travels, I have noticed two things (not speaking to the educational merits).  First, the private school is a badge of prestige here that people are willing to pay top $$ for. Second, a lot of people in this area believe that more expensive = better school.

Paying $40,000 for a ES or MS education is pure folly to me.  The ONLY way that this whole independent school thing even works is because the DMV is economically stable compared to most other parts of the country. Any type of prolongoned downturn in this area would drive students back to public school and all but a few of these schools out of business. [/quote]

I think in general the whole status/prestige attached to school attendance in this area is horrible.  Seriously, I don't think people dwell as much in the rest of the country over what grade school their child attends (with the exception of New York City and certain parts of the West Coast).  It's seriously ridiculous.

And beyond that, my experience has been that people who attended big name private schools their entire lives aren't necessarily smarter or even more articulate.  In fact, they're usually pretty sheltered and have difficulty interacting with people not of their exact class/ethnic/racial/religious group.  With the changing demographics of the country, I question the wisdom of raising a child in that kind of a bubble...[/quote]

I completely disagree with you. My daughter went to public for 5yrs. There were more clicks, profiling and kids that never had to speak or raise a hand in a class full of 30-35 kids. She has come out of her shell in her private school and they have 45% diversity and 25% FA. It is a great mix of kids and they all get along well. We are upper middle class who struggle to pay but I know there are families out there that want to send their kids due to bullying, being treated as nerd, want more classes in arts, drama but can not afford it. I can't pay out extra money but I volunteer and help as much as I can. [/quote]

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