When it comes to schools, parents often have to work out whether to send their children to private school or keep them in public school. Hopefully, this article will help you decide which school is best for your family.
THE ACADEMIC DIFFERENCE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS
- Public schools have lower student-teacher ratios.
- There is no principal in private schools, and the heads of schools are often teachers.
- There is a greater emphasis on discipline.
- Public schools have more money.
- Private schools are designed to raise your children as better human beings and encourage the development of their human capabilities.
The academic differences between public and private schools are considerable. In most cases, the more expensive the private school, the better the results.
The financial difference in public and private schools
Of course, there are plenty of reasons why parents choose to send their children to public school instead of private school. But there are also some serious financial differences in the two kinds of schools.
Let’s start with the money.
If you’re sending your children to a private school, it’s unlikely you’ll have to pay as much for their schooling. According to a report by the Washington Post, private school tuition costs about $10,000 per year on average. Public school tuition costs $6,000 to $8,000 per year on average.
Which is better for your family?
Since the early days of public education, the debate on whether public schools are better than private schools has raged. Much of this was overstated. For instance, according to this website, “an extremely small percentage of private schools serve ‘poor’ families, and in any case, the quality of the public school in which children spend the largest fraction of their days is a far better indicator of their future income and social class than their exposure to any private schools.” Furthermore, this report from the U.S. Department of Education also notes, “The quality of public schools and their racial and ethnic diversity can help prevent and reduce racial and ethnic inequality, as well as economic and socio-economic inequality.
What does your child need?
The initial decision on which school is best should be driven by your child’s needs. Where does he or she need to be at certain stages of development, from an educational perspective? Some kids are more drawn to reading than math, while others struggle with working with a calculator. How ready are they to take an advanced course? Most schools try to provide a level of class participation expected in regular schools, but if your child is going to be in a class with older children, what will be the most helpful for him?
Asking questions about what’s important to your child will help narrow down the potential schools. Then you can decide if your child is going to thrive in that environment, and if so, where that school may be.
Where do you live?
Once you’ve decided that you want to send your child to a private school, the next step is deciding where. There are many different types of private school, and the kinds that you want to consider will vary depending on how wealthy you are and what kind of education you want your child to have. However, there are some criteria that you need to take into consideration when choosing a school, as there are two common routes that you could take, depending on your income level.
Public school
If you want your child to get an adequate education without being able to afford to send them to a private school, then private school may not be a viable option.
Conclusion
Through their education and ability to think critically, children can learn about a wide range of subjects. However, these subject matters, such as science, math, language arts, and history, need to be studied in an environment that is appropriate for that particular subject matter. As a parent, it is your job to make sure that your child is receiving the best education possible, while not putting him or her at a disadvantage by choosing a school that doesn’t offer the best resources.
Having a strong base in these subjects will help a child get ahead in life and make them more competitive and marketable in the job market.
If you’re unsure which education is best for your child, talk to a school counselor, a teacher, or a parent of one of his or her classmates.
