Is Private Scool the right choice for your child?

Private Schools do not have to abide by the rules that the government sets down for Public Schools because they do not receive funding from the government. This often means that children who attend Private Schools are not required to take the yearly achievement tests that many states require. This can be a big plus when you consider that many states have mandatory retention laws if a student doesn’t receive a passing grade on this exam. Many children suffer from test anxiety or learning difficulties that may affect their ability to pass such an exam. The Private School may provide an alternative to retention. Most Private Schools do follow the guidelines set down by the state with regard to class content and curriculum. Therefore, what they are learning in this type of school should be similar to what is being taught in the public school. Some Private Schools are religiously affiliated and therefore add classes in religion to the courses that they offer. Other Private Schools provide special assistance aimed to improve the lives of students with special learning needs. Class size in Private Schools is usually smaller than that of a Public School and therefore allows a teacher to provide more individual attention to a student.

Private Schools are funded for the most part through student tuition. The amount of tuition varies from school to school, and some schools offer scholarships for students who may be athletically talented, academically talented or financially challenged. Research the Private Schools in your area to see what the tuition cost are and what they may have to offer your child with regard to scholarship money.

A few websites that you may want to visit to obtain information about the Private Schools in your area are: privateschoolreview.com and nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/. These websites provide information about the school’s philosophy, classes offered, and school population. They may assist you in determining whether a Private School is the best choice for your child. Both of these websites are for schools in the United States but I am sure that there are similar websites available to you if you reside in another country.

Is a Charter School, a Magnet School or a Choices School Right for Your Child?

The first thing that you need to know is that charter schools, magnet schools and choices schools are all public school choices and do not have any tuition payments which gives you some school options that wouldn’t break the bank in these tough economic times. Although they may have different names in different districts, most districts have similar choices available. These types of schools are gaining popularity and new school options are popping up every year.

Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to all of the rules that other public schools must follow. In addition to the district rules, Charter Schools are held accountable for producing certain results as outlined in the school’s charter. Class size is usually smaller than a public school and they are perceived to be safer because of the smaller size of the school population. Many Charter Schools have a waiting list and admission can be based on a lottery, so you may experience difficulty getting your child into these schools. Some charter schools provide a curriculum that specializes in a certain field such as the arts, technology, or mathematics. Others provide the opportunity for innovative teaching practices like cooperative learning, or self-paced learning.

Magnet Schools are Public Schools and therefore must adhere to all the rules and regulations of the district that they belong to. They provide an expanded list of classes in an area of focus. This is particularly beneficial to a student who has an area of interest that they want to explore further. It provides them the opportunity to gain experience in that area while at the same time letting them explore whether this is the right field for them. Some of the Magnet Schools in my area have focuses in: science & technology, government, theater, music, and medical.

A Choices School is not really a different school type, it is the option that districts provide parents at certain schools which allows the parents to choose between a set list of public schools that their child can attend instead of attending their zoned school. These transfers are offered for a number of different reasons. The main reasons that the district in my area does it is capacity, diversity and class size.

Picking the Right School for Your Child

One of the most important decisions that parents have to make is what type of school to send their child to. The choices available today are numerous. There is public, private, magnet, charter, virtual and home-schooling options. Every month it seems that there are new options available, and all the options seem to have their benefits and their drawbacks. I will be exploring each of these options in a series of postings to assist you in making this important decision. I feel fairly confident that I can speak on the pros and cons of attending public school, and I will be seeking out the advice of other parents and educators who know more than I do about the other options that are available. In addition to the generalized information provided in these postings, I hope that you will do your research on the schools in your area by talking to parents and children who are already attending the school and finding out how the school is doing compared to other schools nearby. The statistics on schools can typically be accessed through the State’s Department of Education and most schools are more than willing to give you a tour of their facility. Do not take it as a bad sign if the tour is conducted when there are no students in the building, many schools have adopted this policy to ensure the safety of their current students.

It is very important to keep in mind the stregnths and weaknesses of your child when picking out the right school. Not every child fits into every school setting, and finding the school that is the best fit for your child may be the difference between academic success and failure. If you are not sure of how your child learns, Howard Gardner's books on Multiple Intelligences may be a good place to start.