Small class size is a big driver for us. Our local public is relatively well ranked, but this year the K class size is >30. I couldn’t imagine going from his current PreK of 12 kids to that, so we are staying in private.

Also, the private schools that have preschools have a good set up— we started out paying daycare/preschool (kids started at 2) and then by the time you’re thinking about kindergarten, the sticker shock isn’t so severe bc you have been paying for daycare all along. Plus you sorta lowkey get to know the school’s vibes/ethos by being a preschool parent.

I might revisit it for high school, but probably not. I worry my kid (bright, high energy, sensitive) would get lost in a public elementary.

Anonymous wrote:The violence, not being able to use the bathrooms without there being drugs or fights.

There's an active thread in the FCPS forum on this.

The violence, not being able to use the bathrooms without there being drugs or fights.

- Our kids wanted an education where our religion was woven into it (I mean, we did too, but it mattered even more to me that the kids were asking for it).
- Much calmer, more structured environment. My kids like calm and structure. They hated that a few kids acting out completely dominated the environment of our local public school with few consequences for the misbehavior.
- The quality of education in elementary is higher. Regular math track is close to our local public's advanced math track, language arts instruction is head and shoulders better, there's a ton more hands-on science, social studies has a better structure in most grades instead of bouncing from "standard" to "standard."
- Yes, we expect there will be some opportunities high school doesn't offer (higher level APs and post-AP classes), but the school offers us ways to work around that if we need to get creative.
- Like a PP above talking about the MCPS BOE, I was tired of politicians of all stripes who are completely incompetent using my kids' educations as a political football.
- Our private has a much saner calendar with far fewer random days off in the middle of the year.

Chose private because public classes were too large with little academic differentiation. Also, IMO, the peer group in private, while not perfect, is better.

Also, watching MCPS BOE meetings online during Covid did not really inspire me about the competence of MCPS management (teachers were great though).

Small class size. Our kids are in classes of 12-15 students. The teachers know them all well. Our DC's entire third grade is less than 25 kids. When they were in 2nd grade at public, just one classroom was more than 25 kids.

This also makes it easier to get to know all the parents, as there are fewer of them (yes, this will change once they are in high school with 70-80 kids in a grade).

Small class size (12-15 students), calm atmosphere, a lot of 1:1 attention. Early elementary age DS has ADHD and anxiety and is overwhelmed in large and loud environments (think lunchroom, recess, bus, etc.). He loves school, knows all the teachers and admin. Feels comfortable, not anxious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school parent here, curious to know the reasons you chose to send your child to private school over public school. What factors went into your decision making? Thanks.

Public’s are better this is not hard.

Particularly in math and science

Religious privates have a purpose to indoctrinate education should not be indoctrination

Clearly you literally have no idea about how religious privates work or where the entire concept of free inquiry came from (hint: the Englightenment would not have existed without the Protestant Reformation's theology).

We went from public to private for the class size and behavior management in early elementary.Our child attended a Blue Ribbon elementary that had nearly 30 kids in the classroom. She was not being challenged and she was doing as she pleased because the teacher was focused on other children with academic and/or behavioral needs. She walked in the first week of private school and told us that there was no way she was going to be allowed to behave as she had in public school. Communication is consistent and ongoing from private school, enabling me to take a less involved approach to my child's schooling and engage in discussions at home based on what I understand my child is learning at school.

We had a few children asked to leave in our private elementary school because of their behavior and the school typically counsels out a few families in middle school as well, for academic or behavioral reasons. With 7+applicants for every slot in middle school, the school does not have to tolerate nonsense and generally does not.

The drawbacks to private school -- which become more apparent in
middle school and beyond -- are that it can be insular, classist, and/or may be so achievement driven to the point of being unhealthy. We acknowledge such behavior when our child sees it and we also try to ensure our child has activities outside of school with peers who attend a variety of schools to broaden her social network. We are unafraid to talk about privilege and how the DMV is a bubble, with highly educated, Type A people thinking Ivy or bust is the only pathway to success.

As for our private middle school, I think the school spends far more time on the social-emotional development of the child -- and always has -- than our public school.

Regardless of what is next, we know our child will come out of middle school with strong communication skills and the ability to manage her emotions and the workload of a demanding program.

Should I have a question or concern, Admin will respond in a timely fashion and we will have a focused discussion based on feedback received from all of my child's teachers.

Our counseling staff does quarterly programs on topics related to tweens and teens and is available for one-on-ones to discuss any parenting challenges we may be experiencing, which I have availed myself on occasion and appreciate.

The overall philosophy of our school is that the parents need to stop micromanaging the child by the end of middle school and it is their job to give the children the tools to be more self-sufficient. We are nearly the end of the first year of middle school and see that it is already happening.

As for high school, our child will decide whether to stay in the current private or apply to magnets or another private. We made the choice to pull our child from
public school when she was young and will work with her to identify a handful of good schools for her if she has a compelling argument for change for high school.

Anonymous wrote:My family is in education, at all levels. I wouldn’t choose private unless my children had a special need. The problems private causes are often much worse than managed public. Currently have an 11th grader in a DC charter, and I haven’t regretted my decision for a second.

1. Lol—What problems do private schools cause? Other than envy and bitterness in people like you who can’t afford them?

2. Why are you, a champion of the common man’s public education system, trolling in a private school forum? I’m sure you have more positive and constructive things to do with your time? Or at least you should.

We would never have moved to private if not for covid. During summer 2020, however, it became clear that FCPS was both not opening and not developing an online curriculum, so we chose a small independent near the house. I didn't even expect them to stay open all school year, I just wanted a reasonable online experience once they had to close. (As it turned out, they didn't close.)

My kid has blossomed there, especially with the excellent music and performing arts programs: at the local public, the classroom instruction was good but the specials were a sad joke. Our advanced math is on pace with FCPS's AAP math; language arts is tailored to ability (both up and down); history and science lessons are paired with relevant field trips. Kid has had foriegn language the whole time instead of waiting until 4th to start. It costs us more than is comfortable and socially it's too small, but we'll stay. Kid has maintained close ties with friends from public so that helps with the social mixing and staying grounded.

Well, thought DD would benefit from smaller class size.

And when I went from a good public to an Ivy, the private school kids were much better prepared!

Anonymous wrote:Covid K switched us from starting at a private vs public. Now learning challenges and needing small class sizes will keep us in private. Always wonder if without covid and we started the public K we planned, where we would be now.

Switched us to a private

Covid K switched us from starting at a private vs public. Now learning challenges and needing small class sizes will keep us in private. Always wonder if without covid and we started the public K we planned, where we would be now.