Private School: mandatory, would be nice, or never? Why?

[CUSO]

Mandatory

I dont want my kids taught to a test, vs taught to the curriculum.


In a June 2002 report, (National Center for Education Statistics) NCES found that private school students scored higher on standardized tests, had more demanding graduation requirements, and sent more graduates to college than public schools. The report said that students who had completed at least the eighth grade in a private school were twice as likely as other students to graduate from college as a young adult. NCES statistics also showed that students in private schools are much more likely than others to take advanced-level high school courses.

Students thrive when allowed to learn in a safe and supportive environment. Joint reports by the NCES and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and a private study by the Horatio Alger Association have found that private school students are significantly more likely than others to feel safe and be safe in their schools.

 

[that_someone_special]

Maybe? I know a lot of people in the public school system that are just fine. Some not so great too. But then, I know some screwed up people that went to private schools too. It probably just depends on the kid

 

[ForteKitty]

Maybe you should home-school your kids.

I personally have bad experiences w/ private schools.. my brother went to one between K-8, and it was a total waste of money. He never learned the basics. His grammar and spelling SUCKS. It's embarassing to look thru his thesis and see grammatical errors!

eta: I would also look into a GOOD school district. When i was in high school, only the slackers didn't take AP classes. Kids even took classes at the local community college for University credits. Going to a good school makes a world of difference.

 

[Autumnovember]

Mandatory

I dont want my kids taught to a test, vs taught to the curriculum.

Never. Not worth the $ IMO. Everyone who I have known that went to private school hated it and also got the same education as the public schools offered if not worse, sadly.

Out of curiosity, where was the data taken from? The entire US?

 

[Jennifer W]

Where I live, probably a bit silly, since the local state schools have high academic standards. Still, I would consider it because I didn't enjoy the atmosphere or respect some of the staffs' attitudes in the school I attended. It would depend on the child, more than anything. I plan to send my daughter to the school that is the best fit for her personality and interests. If it's a state school, in Scotland that isn't a problem at all, and certainly no disadvantage, since by far the majority of people here attend state school. If it isn't, I'll just have to suck it up and hope the fees aren't too crippling...

ETA we live in a semi-rural area, and the local authority provides some very, very good schools. If I still lived in Glasgow, it would most likely be a private school.

 

[Kaleigh]

No easy answer here either. How are the public schools where you live??

 

[that_someone_special]

A lot has happened in 8 years.

 

[zoebartlett]

There are great private schools and not so great ones, just like public schools. I'd do a lot of research into the all the schools in your area and then decide.

 

[Autumnovember]

There are great private schools and not so great ones, just like public schools. I'd do a lot of research into the all the schools in your area and then decide.

+1...the private schools here aren't that great..the public schools are.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Never. Unless my kid needed a private education.

 

[ksinger]

"Students thrive when allowed to learn in a safe and supportive environment."

True. They also thrive when they are born to literate non-gang parents who weren't teen parents, who have a college education, jobs and money, and who read to them, feed them healthy food, and aren't currently at home sleeping off the last round of crack they took, says the wife of a teacher in a tough, impoverished urban district.

The single most important factor in student success is the STATUS OF THE PARENTS. Period. Any attempts to focus attention strictly on the schools, is a distraction from the real problem facing education today.

 

[CUSO]

True. They also thrive when they are born to literate non-gang parents who weren't teen parents, who have a college education, jobs and money, and who read to them, feed them healthy food, and aren't currently at home sleeping off the last round of crack they took, says the wife of a teacher in a tough, impoverished urban district.

The single most important factor in student success is the STATUS OF THE PARENTS. Period. Any attempts to focus attention is a distraction from the real problem facing education today.[/quote]


You know I would have stated almost the same thing if I did not think I would be roasted for it... Awsome commentary.

 

[packrat]

We'd have to move if we felt it was mandatory. Far as I know the closest is an hour away, and actually I'm thinking the ones I'm aware of are religious based, and I dunno if you can go if you're not part of the church. Regardless, I don't want them to go to a religious school anyway. So, luckily, it's not mandatory for us. Besides that, I think private school tuition is expensive, so..yeah, two strikes against.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Interesting question. Finances aside, to a large extent, I think the answer depends on where you live and what options are available there. I just looked up the statistics in my town. For the 400 graduates from 2010, 375 went on to college. The other 25 graduates entered the work force, and zero entered the military. Sounds good to me!

There are 2 private high schools that are reasonable commuting distance from here. A friend of mine decided to send her daughter to one of these schools (at close to $27k per year) because the public high school does not offer AP classes to 9th graders. Uhh, sometimes it's good to let a kid have a break too, no?

I have a strong preference that my child attend public school. The schools here are excellent, and I think it would be almost a disservice to my child to send her somewhere more exclusive. My husband attended a private high school and has indicated a preference to sending our daughter to private school. The difference is that he grew up in a town that spent less on its schools. There were safety issues as well that I doubt exist here. I can't see spending tens of thousands of dollars per year on what will more than likely amount to an equivalent education.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

It would depend on the public school disctrict and the school within our house boundries. The school my kids go to is one of the two best in the district and we had to get a variance to keep them in that school after we moved. They have been there since kindergarten so it's a situation of established roots/friends there AND that it's an excellent school.

I wouldn't want my kids in private school unless the entire district wasn't very good. From what I've found is that if the school nearby isn't good, a variance can be requested to put the kid(s) in schools with higher test scores. The district designates the school the children are transferred to so a parent can't pick a school. It's based on the standardized test scores...in WA it's the WASL. Since we didn't apply for a variance based on that, the kids were kept in their original school.

 

[elrohwen]

It depends on the public school, really. I went to public school through 9th grade and was never challenged and it was a waste of 8 years. I went to private school for high school and I got a great education, but it wasn't anything spectacular and world class - I think they just had so many fewer kids that they could afford to teach to the class. It was nice that they could set curriculum and do whatever they wanted and for the most part our teachers were great.

For my own kids, I'm not sure. DH went to a fabulous public school and I would be happy to send my kids to a school like his. Even my own public school got much better with education after I left (starting around 10th grade) so I would've been fine if I had stayed there.

I think it's too easy to lump public schools into one category and private into another, but I think there are a lot more shades of grey than that and it totally depends on the actual school and the kid.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

"Students thrive when allowed to learn in a safe and supportive environment."

True. They also thrive when they are born to literate non-gang parents who weren't teen parents, who have a college education, jobs and money, and who read to them, feed them healthy food, and aren't currently at home sleeping off the last round of crack they took, says the wife of a teacher in a tough, impoverished urban district.

The single most important factor in student success is the STATUS OF THE PARENTS. Period. Any attempts to focus attention strictly on the schools, is a distraction from the real problem facing education today.

I think the most important thing with parents, isn't their status, but their involvement. They don't have to have attended college to read to them or attend their spelling bees. As long as they can provide the basics to life and then go so far as to be involved with their children to benefit their future, their status doesn't matter.

 

[Ninna]

The quality of instruction varies greatly from one private [or public] school to another.
Many of our neighbors had denied access to public schools in neighboring towns. So in my area the answer is Mandatory

 

[soocool]

Where I live the private schools which are the most noteworthy are Grey Nun Academy, The George School, and the Quaker "Friends Schools". But the public school system here is noteworthy as well.

DD has attended public school since kindergarten and has thrived in this environment. She attended a Quaker preschool and the curriculum was phenomenal. However, public school has offered her things that private could not. In elementary school she had no more than 20 students in her class. In high school no more than 20 and in many as few a 6. In 1st grade she was tested and accepted into the "Gifted Program". She has been in all Honors/AP classes since middle school (teacher recommendation).

On the other hand, some of her friends did not continue in public high school and went to The George School. Others who went to parochial switched to public high school after 8th grade. Some of the kids who switched over from private could not handle the courseload in public school and were held back. So if you are lucky to live in an area where the public schools are top notch I see no need to waste money on private schools unless your child prospers in a smaller school environment.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

The quality of instruction varies greatly from one private [or public] school to another.
Many of our neighbors had denied access to public schools in neighboring towns. So in my area the answer is Mandatory

Yeah, it's really hard to get variances for other districts (or at least it is here where most schools are packed). The best most parents can do is get a variance for another school in the same district.

I like www.greatschools.net Has ratings of schools and if you click around, it has test scores, etc., for nearly all schools.

 

[yennyfire]

I'm with Lovesvintage. I am the product of a private school. I went to a Top 20 college, got a graduate degree and had a series of jobs with terrific companies....BUT, I feel strongly that I could have achieved the exact same things if I'd attended a good public school. I felt so strongly about this that when DH and I found out I was pregnant with our first child, we moved to an area where the schools consistently rank in the top in the state as well as the nation. Our son just started kindergarten, but so far, I'm impressed with the education he's receiving. I volunteer in his classroom a lot so that I can see what's going on and am impressed with the variety of methods used to teach him the basics of reading/writing/math/science/computers.

Maybe there is something to be said for the connections you make at a private school that may help you get into an Ivy League college, which may, in turn, lead to connections that get your that first job on Wall Street, but I just can't believe the same can't be accomplished without spending $30K a year on private school (which is what the elite private high schools in my area cost--yikes!)

It definitely depends on where you live. There are parts of town where the schools just aren't as good, because of less funding and less parent/community involvement. Interestingly, in the wealthiest district in our area, the kids are under such pressure and have so much disposable income that there is a significant drug problem...the same could be said at my elite private school...drugs were rampant (and from what I understand, still are). My husband and I looked those inds of factors before we made our final home/school selection as well.

OP, I don't get why you think public school equates to being taught to a test and private schools don't? Our headmaster was held accountable to our SAT scores and the teachers were held accountable to how many of us passed our AP exams, etc.. Don't think that private schools don't teach to a test, because they do.

 

[ForteKitty]

I like www.greatschools.net Has ratings of schools and if you click around, it has test scores, etc., for nearly all schools.

Wow, my elementary, Jr. high, and HS all scored 9s!!

 

[Bliss]

For us it depends on where we live in the next couple of years. I wouldn't send my child to just any private school for private school's sake, but I will definitely look into it if there are some top rated ones in our city. If we live near some of the best ones, then perhaps - assuming we can afford the $15-20k a year per kid for the next 12 years.

My parents sent us to private school and I think it really helped us more than it hurt us. I feel that it helps you develop socially across all levels of society (social lubrication) and fit in with a lot more ease among your peers in terms of social graces, manners and polish. The downside is, lots of kids are CEO/old money kids and there is a ton of pressure to get a BMW for one's sweet sixteen and etc. There is a very materialistic side that I didn't love about it. I didn't see any drugs or crazy sex like you see on Gossip Girl, however. Most families are legacy families from top colleges and kids usually have involved parents who make education a top priority.

On the good side, it does toughen you up academically - getting into a top college is not quite as hard because you have rigorous PSAT/SAT prep from early on with lots of unique opportunities for extra-curriculars mixed in (riding, symphony, crew, tennis, lacrosse & etc.) There is a ton of support for getting into a top college as well. Counseling, interview prep, SAT prep, application and essay help, advice on how to make your application stand out among the thousands of others - it's like they're creating a clone army of applicants from a very early age.

Once I was in college it seemed almost easy compared to prep school because I was used to the rigors of all nighters and crazy coursework. I saw a lot of people who were valedictorians from smaller public schools really struggle with the competitive and cutthroat academics at the Ivies. Kids there are nuts! I'll never forget the time we all got 20-30s on an exam (reamed!!!) - several of my classmates were crying and quite devastated. But 15 out of 100 was the mean. So depending on the standard deviation, getting a 30 meant you scored at the top of the class! I know, it's sad. But yes, I do know a few students personally who dropped out or took many years to graduate because it crippled their confidence after being the big fish in a small pond.

The big downside is cost. It is insane. We will have to seriously weigh the cost/benefit of private school versus public schools in our area. I don't know if I want to shell out $15-20,000 a year per kid for 12 years if public schools where we live are just as good. DH went to public school, is naturally brilliant & coasted through a top university. He's way smarter than I am and quite polished. So yeah, it depends on the kid - smart ones will thrive no matter what. That is what makes me think public school wouldn't be a bad option either. If you're going to be a huge success, you will be no matter where you go to school. Hey, you might not even have to go to college! I didn't learn much in college anyway, practically speaking. It just helps you get jobs later in life because it opens doors via the name. And yes, on the flip side - I do know lots of private school kids who ended up doing nothing much at all. More than a few of them are living at home with their rich parents right now so it's no great indicator of success, that's for sure.

 

[ksinger]

"Students thrive when allowed to learn in a safe and supportive environment."

True. They also thrive when they are born to literate non-gang parents who weren't teen parents, who have a college education, jobs and money, and who read to them, feed them healthy food, and aren't currently at home sleeping off the last round of crack they took, says the wife of a teacher in a tough, impoverished urban district.

The single most important factor in student success is the STATUS OF THE PARENTS. Period. Any attempts to focus attention strictly on the schools, is a distraction from the real problem facing education today.

I think the most important thing with parents, isn't their status, but their involvement. They don't have to have attended college to read to them or attend their spelling bees. As long as they can provide the basics to life and then go so far as to be involved with their children to benefit their future, their status doesn't matter.

You're taking issue with my wording, but I wasn't talking in terms of class, or using 'status' to mean social standing. It's not a stretch to assume that one's age of first gestation, economic, educational and literacy level, gang, or drug addiction "status", is going to have a negative effect on one's parental involvement.

And do you really really think that educational level of the parents doesn't matter? Because it just isn't so. Starting here:

The language experience of the children shows that by about age 3,
children from welfare families had acquired, on average, 525 vocabulary words,
while children of working families had acquired 749 words. But by this age
children of professional families had acquired 1,116 vocabulary words. These
researchers went on to assume that the patterns of verbal interaction they recorded
in the homes of these families would continue in a similar way over time. So they
extrapolated from the data they had obtained through age three, to estimate
language experience by age four. They found that an average child in a
professional family is likely to have experience with almost 45 million words,
while an average child in a working-class family would have experience with 26
million words, and the average child in a welfare family would have accumulated
experience with 13 million words.108

What this research tells us is that, on average, the less affluent the family,
the fewer words said to the child, and the less complex the language used. In fact,
at age 3, the child from a professional family who had the smallest vocabulary
still had a much more extensive vocabulary than did the child from the welfare
family with the largest vocabulary.109

This restricted experience with language early in development seems to be causally
related to academic achievement later in life. Right from the start, at entrance to kindergarten, higher SES children were
found to have cognitive scores about 60% higher than did children from lower ES families.110

I can trot this stuff out all day. I know where to find it quickly either on the web or saved on my computer. I'm a regular walking encyclo anymore, sadly. (I remember this particularly because of how sad and appalled I was to read it)

http://bulletin.spps.org/sites/8408bc37-7c5a-435e-b738-2d321c0648bd/uploads/Report_from_Brown_Center.pdf

 

[candy]

Soocool, I am a gradate of GS.... It's such a small school, it was crazy to see the name pop up on PS!

I am torn on the private vs. public school debate and, like some have said, it depends on a lot of factors. But I honestly feel that attending a private school changed my life. After spending years in public school, it was so different to be in an environment where the expectations for everyone were sky high in terms of academics, extracurriculars, and personal integrity.

Is it worth the cost? I'm not sure, especially when it comes to private elementary school. However, it seems that many private schools give students an advantage when it is time to apply for college. And, to this day, I'm not sure I've ever worked as hard as I did in private school. Overall, it was great preparation for life in the real world and I feel fortunate that my parents made my education a top priority. I would love to be able to do the same for my (future) children someday.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

"Students thrive when allowed to learn in a safe and supportive environment."

True. They also thrive when they are born to literate non-gang parents who weren't teen parents, who have a college education, jobs and money, and who read to them, feed them healthy food, and aren't currently at home sleeping off the last round of crack they took, says the wife of a teacher in a tough, impoverished urban district.

The single most important factor in student success is the STATUS OF THE PARENTS. Period. Any attempts to focus attention strictly on the schools, is a distraction from the real problem facing education today.

I think the most important thing with parents, isn't their status, but their involvement. They don't have to have attended college to read to them or attend their spelling bees. As long as they can provide the basics to life and then go so far as to be involved with their children to benefit their future, their status doesn't matter.

You're taking issue with my wording, but I wasn't talking in terms of class, or using 'status' to mean social standing. It's not a stretch to assume that one's age of first gestation, economic, educational and literacy level, gang, or drug addiction "status", is going to have a negative effect on one's parental involvement.

And do you really really think that educational level of the parents doesn't matter? Because it just isn't so. Starting here:

The language experience of the children shows that by about age 3,
children from welfare families had acquired, on average, 525 vocabulary words,
while children of working families had acquired 749 words. But by this age
children of professional families had acquired 1,116 vocabulary words. These
researchers went on to assume that the patterns of verbal interaction they recorded
in the homes of these families would continue in a similar way over time. So they
extrapolated from the data they had obtained through age three, to estimate
language experience by age four. They found that an average child in a
professional family is likely to have experience with almost 45 million words,
while an average child in a working-class family would have experience with 26
million words, and the average child in a welfare family would have accumulated
experience with 13 million words.108

What this research tells us is that, on average, the less affluent the family,
the fewer words said to the child, and the less complex the language used. In fact,
at age 3, the child from a professional family who had the smallest vocabulary
still had a much more extensive vocabulary than did the child from the welfare
family with the largest vocabulary.109

This restricted experience with language early in development seems to be causally
related to academic achievement later in life. Right from the start, at entrance to kindergarten, higher SES children were
found to have cognitive scores about 60% higher than did children from lower ES families.110

I can trot this stuff out all day. I know where to find it quickly either on the web or saved on my computer. I'm a regular walking encyclo anymore, sadly. (I remember this particularly because of how sad and appalled I was to read it)

http://bulletin.spps.org/sites/8408bc37-7c5a-435e-b738-2d321c0648bd/uploads/Report_from_Brown_Center.pdf

You're right, my problem was with the word "status." To be honest, those stats don't mean anything to me. They're probably right, but I could care less. As we all know there's always an exception to the norm, so I'll spare us all from reading my tirade.

 

[ksinger]

" As we all know there's always an exception to the norm, so I'll spare us all from reading my tirade "

Probably a good idea, since the plural of anecdote is not data.

 

[yssie]

In my area the public school I was zoned for was one of the best in the state. My parents sent me to an all-girls' private school - again, considered one of the best in the area - still not sure why, actually.


Total waste of money. If I hadn't been studying well ahead of the curriculum I would've been unprepared for maths and sciences courses when I went to college (for an engineering degree) - though I did learn to write well. And my parents did not have the millions to buy me into college if I didn't earn my spot like most of my classmates'. And goodness, single-sex Catholic (we're not Christian!) school is *no* guarantee that highschoolers won't still get up to all sorts of mischief!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

The report said that students who had completed at least the eighth grade in a private school were twice as likely as other students to graduate from college as a young adult.

This is why I just love these "studies." Gee, do ya think maybe this might have something to do with the fact that parents who can afford private school tuition are also more able to afford to pay for a full four years (or more) of college?

 

[davi_el_mejor]

" As we all know there's always an exception to the norm, so I'll spare us all from reading my tirade "

Probably a good idea, since the plural of anecdote is not data.