Anonymous wrote:I agree with a PP- not enough deep pockets for a 40k sticker price (which is what essentially all of the independents in DC and NOVA cost)

+1.

I agree with a PP- not enough deep pockets for a 40k sticker price (which is what essentially all of the independents in DC and NOVA cost)

Maryland International Day School
Bilingual, Spanish/ English
Follows international primary years curriculum.
Fort Washington

I would say that many independents struggle to grow in the county as they do not have the financial support of the church backing them up as they develop like parochial/church affiliated schools. The amount of tuition required to function as an independent is not an amount that many parents in the county can afford or if they can afford...they don't desire to spend versus trying for public lottery/charter slots, going with parochial/religious affiliated which have very low tuition (subsidized by the church) or getting aid from well funded private schools elsewhere that makes it equal to or more affordable than what an independent would need to charge. Also the ability to give aid to those who cannot afford standard tuition is not an option in those developing years as the tuition and donations from county parents is barely enough to sustain the independent school.

Not a tax expert, but there are substantial tax benefits to being a religious organization which can keep tuition lower than it would be for a non-religious school.

Although the Friends School in Greenbelt is run by Quakers, I wouldn't consider it a Religious School Fairhaven is a Sudbury school in New Carrollton which is non-religious as is Bowie Montessori.
https://www.friendscommunityschool.org/page
http://www.fairhavenschool.com/
https://www.bmch.net/

I'm sure there are others but these are ones that immediately come to mind.

Haven't heard of one.

Perhaps this has already been covered on another DCUM thread. In the District of Columbia, there are private schools to choose from that are not religion focused. Where are ours? The best private/independents in the county (Holy Trinity, St. Pius, Reid Temple, Grace, Riverdale Baptist, Dematha, Seton, McNamara, St. Mary) are all, well... Jesus-Driven (and I do love me some Jesus) but I'm wondering whether there exists an opportunity for a fantastic independent school that is purely scholastic-focused. Just a thought. Perhaps it is all by design.