Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 10:18     Subject: Re:DH prefers private, I want public
If, as you say, 90% or more of the neighborhood kids attend public school, I don't think you'll have a problem with your children getting into private middle or high school when the time comes.

Why aren't you sure the public high school is where you want your children attending, if you love the neighborhood, families, and want to go public for K-8?
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 17:42     Subject: DH prefers private, I want public
Anonymous wrote:Public for elementary and reevaluate at middle school. Based on your description, it's a no brainer. The sense of community that's provided by attending a strong local school is key at that age!


This. I loved, loved, loved our elementary school community and you will too.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 16:15     Subject: DH prefers private, I want public
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are no good public schools. Zero. The teaching is subpar and the curriculum is garbage. The only thing that differentiates a good public school from a bad one on paper is the parents behind those kids supplementing, reading to their kids, teaching them at home and their own parents education level that filers through to their children’s everyday life experiences. Elementary is the building blocks for future education and learning. The elementary years are the years that are most important for success late on. Send to a good private (there are a lot of mediocre privates). Later middle and high school is a possibility where public schools can make sense due to may options for accelerating: dual enrollment, AP, special programs.


95% true, but in my experiernce there are still some public elementary unicorns that manage to educate kids who don't have parents like this.


Can you name a handful of specific schools? In our area, or even otherwhere in the country with similar demographics.


Dept of Defense schools. They are technically public, but the general public can't enroll their kids in one.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 11:43     Subject: DH prefers private, I want public
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are no good public schools. Zero. The teaching is subpar and the curriculum is garbage. The only thing that differentiates a good public school from a bad one on paper is the parents behind those kids supplementing, reading to their kids, teaching them at home and their own parents education level that filers through to their children’s everyday life experiences. Elementary is the building blocks for future education and learning. The elementary years are the years that are most important for success late on. Send to a good private (there are a lot of mediocre privates). Later middle and high school is a possibility where public schools can make sense due to may options for accelerating: dual enrollment, AP, special programs.


95% true, but in my experiernce there are still some public elementary unicorns that manage to educate kids who don't have parents like this.


Can you name a handful of specific schools? In our area, or even otherwhere in the country with similar demographics.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 11:42     Subject: DH prefers private, I want public
Anonymous wrote:There are no good public schools. Zero. The teaching is subpar and the curriculum is garbage. The only thing that differentiates a good public school from a bad one on paper is the parents behind those kids supplementing, reading to their kids, teaching them at home and their own parents education level that filers through to their children’s everyday life experiences. Elementary is the building blocks for future education and learning. The elementary years are the years that are most important for success late on. Send to a good private (there are a lot of mediocre privates). Later middle and high school is a possibility where public schools can make sense due to may options for accelerating: dual enrollment, AP, special programs.


I wouldn't say ZERO. There must be some, and even within schools that aren't great, there are still veteran teachers who are doing things the old fashioned way (or new teachers using old school methods). I would also like to know where are you getting the elementary school = private, later years = public. What is your experience, where did/do your kids go, and what are the outcomes (not necessarily talking college outcomes, but interested in those too)you have seen?