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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Today I visited a good public elementary school in DC. While I understand that kids in public high schools may have some behavioral issues, what I saw at the elementary level was that this public school is much better than my current private school.

To begin with, it has four different teachers specialized in math, science, social studies, and English. At our current private school, which is considered “elite,” the homeroom teacher teaches all of those subjects, and not especially well to begin with.

Yes, class sizes are slightly bigger in the public school, but are there really any meaningful benefits to a private elementary school? Compared with our current private school, I don't see any major advantage.[/quote]

You should know that the school environment is only one factor. Even elite private schools, like Sidwell and GDS, cater to the mean. For example, world language and math are not tracked at all. Yes, they pay close attention, kids are happier, and students with issues receive counseling. Yes, we pay $60 a year for maybe an improvement in their education.  But as an immigrant, I realized much of learning happened outside school. Want to have solid Math? Join RSM.  Want to master a second language? Join weekend school.  Want to learn an instrument? go to Levine.

The only things private schools really excel at are writing instructions and PE every day. And yes, your kid might meet some VIP/fancy kids early on.

[/quote]

I think this is less about public vs private and more about fit. Some schools intentionally don’t front-load tracking or acceleration in elementary, which can feel underwhelming if you’re looking for that early push.

When we were looking, we considered both public and private options and focused on what aligned with our educational goals, rather than assuming one category would automatically be stronger.

That said, I’m not sure most families are aiming to outsource core subjects to multiple outside programs either — part of the value of a strong school is that it integrates those things rather than fragmenting them across after-school options.[/quote]

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