Anonymous wrote:My DCs went from catholic school to public school after 4 years in the former and I was stunned at how far behind they were academically. I think the standards and curriculum is weaker in catholic than public and teachers are not held accountable for student progress as they are in public schools. If I could do it over again, I would not have put DCs in catholic school.

I could have written this. I completely agree. I thought I was doing the right thing for DC at the time but was very wrong.

My daughter enjoyed catholic school in the earlier grades and we thought the transition would be hard to public school. It was not a hard transition and she is doing fine. Unsure if I kept her in the school if there would be gaps academically. I must say saving the money was not bad either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were very disappointed with a catholic school in NoVa. The PK teacher didn't seem to be comfortable with some parents asking why the school did not have an open door policy. We noticed our daughter was kind of frustrated because no one smiled at her.

no one smiled at your daughter? you just sound very high maintenance for any school

NP here -- we changed from parochial to public as well. After a few days in public school, DC confided he was much happier...because the teachers were nicer, and smiled more.

Anonymous wrote:We were very disappointed with a catholic school in NoVa. The PK teacher didn't seem to be comfortable with some parents asking why the school did not have an open door policy. We noticed our daughter was kind of frustrated because no one smiled at her.

no one smiled at your daughter? you just sound very high maintenance for any school

I don't think the teacher credential requirements are the same in catholic as they are in public. If public teachers do not obtain the required teacher certifications by a certain time frame, they are released without any exceptions -- at least that is the case in DCPS.

Teacher salaries are way lower at many catholic schools, so you can imagine how much stimulated are the staff to teach your child.

I have a friend teaching at one in PG county and there is now way I would send my children there. They are absurdly rigid and have no internet capacity. I am sure it differs school to school but I doubt that many of the elementary schools can compete with the better publics. I would not make this assumption at the high school level.

I know families who left Blessed Sacrament for Lafayette (DCPS) and say Lafayette is better. I've hears that the Arlington diocesan schools are better than Washington.

We were very disappointed with a catholic school in NoVa. The PK teacher didn't seem to be comfortable with some parents asking why the school did not have an open door policy. We noticed our daughter was kind of frustrated because no one smiled at her.

Anonymous wrote:My son is in first grade public in Montgomery County and my niece is in first grade catholic in VA, and I am impressed with the work my niece is doing. I can't figure out if it is because the catholic school uses a more traditional style/ approach which I am used to or if she is actually learning more.

Is her teacher Mrs. Byrne? Because she's spectacular.

My son is in first grade public in Montgomery County and my niece is in first grade catholic in VA, and I am impressed with the work my niece is doing. I can't figure out if it is because the catholic school uses a more traditional style/ approach which I am used to or if she is actually learning more.

I guess it depends. Age, reason for switching, etc.

I have a friend who left but his son was having issues and he was behind.
Another friend whose child left after 8th to go to a magnet school.
Our Catholic school has kids come and go every year and I don't think any 2 have the same story.

Having left 1 school for another, I would say that my kids were behind in some areas and ahead in other areas but they caught up in about a year.

My DCs went from catholic school to public school after 4 years in the former and I was stunned at how far behind they were academically. I think the standards and curriculum is weaker in catholic than public and teachers are not held accountable for student progress as they are in public schools. If I could do it over again, I would not have put DCs in catholic school.

I heard public schools have more resources

I was wondering has anyone left the catholic school to transition to a public or charter school? If so was your child behind in public schools? or way ahead? Just wondering is their a major difference in the two educations other than the religious piece.