Private vs Public schools

[Bassn Blvd]

My wife and I are considering sending our son to a private school for pre-school next year when he'll be 3 1/2 years old. One of the schools (which I went to over 35 yrs ago for 1 and 2 grade) will cost about $9100 for the year.

Although I have my beliefs, neither the wife or I study religion on a regular basis. In fact, I haven't been to church services in at least 10 years. Some private schools require you to be a member of the church to attend and I REFUSE to be forced into ANY religion for ANY reason.

Just because a schools is classified as "private" doesn't make it a top notch school or any better than some public schools.

How do you know if a private school is a good school? Is it beneficial to the child by sending him/her to a private school instead of a public school at such an early age, especially when it's going to cost $$$$$?

[Dan:]

I don't believe preschool is even necessary, let alone for $9k...

In general, public schools can be more than good. It just depends on the area and the school districts. Public schools in my area send plenty of kids to the same colleges and universities that private school kids attend...except the parents of the kids who went to the public schools didn't waste tens of thousands of dollars to get them to the same place...

[preach4bass]

My observation is that a child does not benefit any more from a high dollar private school education than a "free" public school education.  A parent's involvement in the child's education is much more valuable.  For example, I know some very educated children who attend a below average public school in our county.  The reason isn't their educational environment, but their parents involvement.  On the other hand, I know children who can barely distinguish their ears from their elbows, and they attend an expensive private school in our county.  The reason is that their parents enrolled them in the private school, assumed that the teachers would take over from there, and then don't get involved themselves.  So, my opinion is that you should save your money and just focus on being an involved parent.  And, besides, she's only 3!  There's plenty of time for public school later if you decide to go that route.

[RedhookRR]

For preschool I don't think it matters much.  especially for $9100.

  My daughter is in 5 grade and we choose o send her to a private catholic school just because she needs the extra one on one it can provide compared to the Bush BS no kid left behind junk that made it worse than it was to begin with.  total trash to me and i did work in the public school system.

As to the religion part I agree that you should not have it stuffed down your throat.   I personal different views than the school that my daughter goes to,  in fact the principle for the school is of a different sect of the religion with no issues.

[Tin]

If it wasn't for the social repercussions, I would home school when I have kids.

[Dan:]

I'm not sure I get the "stuffing it down your throat" idea...You are choosing to pay your own money to send a kid to parochial school...what part of that is mandatory?

[Bassn Blvd]

I'm very involved in my kids education and activities.  And I agree with Preach4bass to some extent.  I'm not looking for the teacher to take over my responsibilities or to be a role model.  I just want my son to get a good, fair education. 

Someone was telling me that public schools are geared more towards studying for the FCAT because FCAT scores is what gives the school a good name/grade and therefore, don't focus much on other subjects/topics.  Is there any truth to that?

[Hookemdown.]

Someone was telling me that public schools are geared more towards studying for the FCAT because FCAT scores is what gives the school a good name/grade and therefore, don't focus much on other subjects/topics. Is there any truth to that?

From my experiences in Arkansas...hell yes.  I have a classmate that is writing his thesis on standardized testing/grade inflation.  I'll ask him for some specifics.

Here's my opinion.  The kids have to want to learn, and that starts in the household.  I went to a terrible high school and came out fine.

[b.Lee]

If it wasn't for the social repercussions, I would home school when I have kids.

Much agreed

[Sam]

Preach4Bass hit the nail on the head.

Parental involvement throughout your children's primary education.

Public or private, if the parents are not involved and watching over the child the child will not do well.

It is too easy to blame the teachers who work their fannies off. We need parental involvement to support the teachers and make sure the kids are doing their best.

LSU is less than $10,000 a semester for everything. And you want to spend $9,100 on a three-year old?

Maybe for the first grade and forward if it was my offspring. 

[roadwarrior]

Seems silly to me. Pre-school is just...well...

pre-school. On the broader question, public school

is my preference. You will have to evaluate your

particular district, but the public schools in my

town, Germantown, TN, are outstanding. This is

because the parents are VERY involved.

8-)

[dave]

I'm not sure I get the "stuffing it down your throat" idea...You are choosing to pay your own money to send a kid to parochial school...what part of that is mandatory?

In the Catholic School my kids attend, there are more non Catholics than you would think. The kids attend the religion classes and learn and are required to take the tests and pass the class but, they do not receive the Sacraments.

Most non Catholics attend the school because it is considered the best private education for the money. As for us, it has everything to do with its Catholic identity.

Back on topic though, my kids attended local pre-schools and a public school kindergarten. I didn't have the $$$ to start that early.

And I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that it is mostly parental involvement in a child's education that matter the most.

[JigMe]

I grew up in Howard County, Maryland and the public schools are top ranked. There are many excellent private schools in my area, but the tuition will cost a hand and leg. My parents sent me to a private school for my high school years, and I hate it. Because there are so much home works involved, I am not saying it is a bad thing but I just hate it. My friends would be playing football, etc after school. And I have to stay home studying; d**n school gives quiz every other day. Plus, I have to wear school uniforms. Then, one bad grade, here comes my parents telling me how much they are paying for me to go...blah blah blah...

Even you have the money to send you kids to private school, please don't do it. Let them enjoy been a kid, let them have some fun. But for pre-school, I don't think the work load will be much.

[tyrius.]

Just got done reading the Freakeconomics book and the author covers preschool's effects on later test scores.  The effect is not measurable.  The biggest aspect of a child succeeding in school is the child's desire to succeed.  There was another study done regarding Chicago's public schools and their lottery for kids to be able to switch high school's.  Those kids who simply wanted to switch did markedly better than their peers, even if they didn't get their choice of school.  The difference being they had shown a desire to succeed while their peers didn't.

That being said, we send our son to a private preschool at a Methodist church (no requirement to be a member although members get first dibs on their class choices).  He'll go to public kindergarten next year.  We don't have the option for a public one though.  And, the cost isn't ANYWHERE near what you are considering paying.  We're at a little over $200 a month for each month that they are in school ($1,800).  That's for MWF for 2.5 hours in the mornings.  Our daughter will go to preschool at Creative World (a daycare place) next year.  It's a bit more expensive (like $30 a month more), but only 1 mile from our house.  Same days and hours as my son is doing now.

[Captain Obvious]

If it wasn't for the social repercussions, I would home school when I have kids.

I was home schooled and I believe that I have not suffered any social repercussions. As a matter of fact when I tell people at school that I was home schooled they say " No you weren't your normal" ;D

But I know what you are talking about. The only way that a home schooled kid becomes a social recluse is if his parents allow him to be.

To help you out there are two groups of people that are home schooled

A home schooled person: Is a normal human who can have a regular conversation and talks,eats, and dresses like everyone else. The only difference.....We just get our lessons at home

A home schooler: Is a social recluse who cannot function in public. Is afraid to talk to anyone but his mom or teddy bear. Talks like he is reading from a text book. Some how manages to survive on cereal. And dresses in only polo's and dockers. The only thing they share with us.......In some strange way their still human.

The problem is that people only notice the home schoolers because a home schooled person is just like everyone else!!!!!!

Don't be afraid to home school.   

[Captain Obvious]

As for us,  it has everything to do with its Catholic identity.

Just wondering what do you mean by that Dave?

[Tokyo Tony]

I think all else being equal, private schools are superior to public schools. It's important to consider how I started that sentence: all else being equal. Obviously parental involvement + public school > no parental involvement + private school.

I went to a private lower and middle school then a public high school, then a private college. In my opinion, the teachers and the overall culture in the private schools were more geared towards teaching and learning, and there was greater pressure to succeed, which is supremely important for young, impressionable kids. I believe this got me started on the right foot, which prevented me from being sidetracked in high school when many of my friends did. The most important thing for a school to do for young kids is to totally ingrain in them the importance of educational success.

I think a quality school is the most important at a young age. That said, I don't think a private nursury school, or perhaps even kindergarten, is necessarily worth $9K a year, but I think if you can afford it, especially in Florida, get the kid in a private school at a young age unless there are quality public schools in your area.

$0.02

[Sfritr]

You have raised a great question.  I too, have a child and have chosen to send him to a private school.  There are some public schools who test higher than many private schools.  Here is what I have experienced with the private schools to date.

There is a noticable difference in the faculty, and parental involvemnet in my particular private school.  The school is teaching the kids about respect for the fellow man, as well as the importance of a hard work ethic and dedication.   

I can't say the same for many of the public schools in my area.  My wife is a teacher and the largest difference and the reason we chose to spend 4500 a year for a 6th grader is in our public schools there is a sever lack of parental guidence which in turn leads to troubled children.

But, this is part of our countries issue not just my area.  Flint, Mi. second only to Detroit as the worst public schools in the country though.

[Raul]

Well, I can 't say anything about public schools because I 've never been to one, private school here since pre-school all the way up to college, so what I can say is, you want your kids to learn a foreign language and speak it as a native ? you have to send them to a bilingual school since they are very young, I learned English that way ( pre-school English only, elementary and high school half the of the time English ), doesn 't bother to know another language aside from your mother language  . But that kind of education at least in Mexico is only given in private schools.

My children go to a private Catholic school here but you don 't have to be a member of any church besides, it 's forbbiden by the law to limit the entrance of a student to a school based upon religion. Why a Catholic school for my kids ? well, we are Catholic but we did not choose the school for that reason, we didn 't have much from where to choose, only one school in the City is not run by priests or nuns and it 's on the other side of the city.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I send both of my daughters to public school.

   Why?  Because I honestly believe public schools are better for growing kids.  They experience more.  They meet different kinds of people.  Is the education as good as at a private institution?  I don't know.  Probably not.  Also Bassn Blvd, you may want to look into the Florida VPK program at schools in your area.  I'm VERY happy with the education my kids got while they were in it.  They are both on the honor roll in their school as well being some of the top students in their grade/classes.  Like somebody else pointed out, parental involvement is the key whether they go to private or public schools.  If your wallet can handle the nine grand, I say go for it.  If you like it and think it's good for the kid, then there you go.

   Speaking for myself, my preschool bill was roughly 20k a year.  I didn't go broke because of it, but having that extra cash back in my pocket is really nice around the vacation season.

[dave]

As for us, it has everything to do with its Catholic identity.

Just wondering what do you mean by that Dave?

We send them to Catholic school because we are devout Catholics.

[bweave09]

I went to private Catholic school from preschool through middle school, although it was nowhere near 9k per year. I am thankful that my parents paid for those years of school because I believe that I received a high quality education. I think having a solid base has given me an advantage over some that were educated in a public school (NC public schools don't have a great reputation). I see one major drawback from private school, at least in the case of my school, in that there was very little economic, racial, and religious diversity. From the time I started preschool until the time i finished 8th grade, I had less than ten (I want to say only four) African American classmates. Going into a public high school was very different and I'm not sure I was completely prepared in a social aspect. I tended to make racist comments and avoid members of other races, quite frankly because I did not know many people that weren't from white, middle class, 4 to 5 person families. At 14, my first reaction was to belittle anything that was different. Things have changed drastically since then, as I learned that judging people by the color of their skin is extraordinarily ignorant. Some of my best friends, teammates, and fishing buddies are black. While I think I might have received a higher quality education at a private high school, the life lessons I learned at a public school were far more important (and way cheaper). Sorry to write a novel, but I say go for the private education starting somewhere around Kindergarten if it is a financial possibility (9k sounds a little steep). I would recommend, if at all possible, to look for a private school with as much diversity as possible. I am willing to bet that your child will hate private school while they're in it, but they will thank you one day.

[Jake.]

I went to private school for 7 years and have been in public schools for the last 4. There was very little economic and ethnic diversity in the private school I attended, which is obviously very different form the real world. I do not feel that the private schools provided any educational benefits for me. I actually feel that I am being educated better in public school, since there are more opportunities to take part in advanced classes. I would have preferred to have attended public schools since kindergarten. It is easier for a kid to adjust to the realities of life when they are younger.

[fish-fighting-illini]

  I'm sure every area of the country can be quite different but $9.1k for a pre-school seems way high unless we are talking Ivy league pre-school.

  Most pre-schools I've seen are simply play time and color time and story time.

  I can see both sides to the public / private issue. Often private schools around here lack some of the modern ammentities ( computer labs  vs 1 per class ex ). Many private schools pay much less than the public schools.

  Some private schools here though do very well for much less money $4K for a very nice high school.

  All that aside the public schools in my town are very good and highly respected. The parents are very involved.

  As far as diversity I think it could be overrated. You can learn it and deal with it when you are older and mature enough to deal with it.

As Hookem pointed out though even that can be overcome. Then again the temptations and attitudes of a bad school are bound to be more challenging.

  In short I think it has a lot to do with the public schools in your area. Just do your homework with open eyes.

[Catt]

All six of my children went to private school from Pre-K through 12 grade; why because they received a better education.

The problem with public schools is that Due to Political Correctness older translations of many books have come under revisionism, which is the revision of an accepted, usually long-standing view, theory, or doctrine, especially a revision of historical events. Revisionism is an aspect of cultural dissemination of misinformation.

Revisionism is the #1 tool of the Social Liberal Engineers of our culture for the deliberate dumbing down of our sons & daughters.