If your DC go to private school

[jgenie]

How did you decide on the school? What made your school stand out? Is there a ranking system for private schools? Are they required to take the standardized tests that public schools take? If no, why not? If it's not too personal, what do you pay for private school tuition? TIA

[daisysmom]

We just started at a private kindergarten. I am not sure what terms for you to search with, but last February or so there were some good threads on here about public versus private and you might benefit from reading those.

I had done public school my whole life K-college and DH had done private his whole life, but both of us had SAHMs. That was the deciding factor for us -- our public schools here are horrible and everyone I know sends their kids to private. To make the public schools work, I have heard in our area, you need to be a very pro-active mother, to get your child extra work and stimulation/challenges, and to drive them after school to other activities/tutoring/sports/clubs because the public schools only offer the basics. There were really 2 private schools in the area that we considered seriously and we went with the co-ed one. I originally thought we would go with the all-girls one b/c it is closer to our house by about 15 minutes, but after going through the testing and visiting both schools multiple times, I just felt much more at home with a co-ed education for her.

There are lots of ways private schools are ranked - though I think they are all very subjective. We were confident (and could see from our friends) that the graduates of both of these schools were all very prepared, and getting into excellent colleges. They were also very nice, good kids, very polite but not in a freaky militant way. Basically the "research" we did was just knowing families with kids who were in them. We are older first time parents, so the benefit to that is all of our friends have teenagers :)

I am not sure if there is standardized testing (in our area, the public schools take SOL's but the private schools do not).

Our private school kinder tuitioin is $18K. It is full day kindergarten and lots of extracurricular things. We also do extended day there, but even still, there are activities that kids are encouraged to attend eveyr afternoon and evening. The extended-day program ends at 5th grade and that's when mandatory (no-cut) athletics start. Effectively, the school day is 8-6 for kids that want to do everything, so we do "save" in childcare. I love it. It was hard to get used to the "flow" but I am confident that it is the best place for our daughter.

[smilequeen]

We chose our private school because I believed in a different educational philosophy for young kids and knew that it would work well for my kids (Montessori). I looked at a few Montessori programs and chose the one that just felt like the right fit. So far, it is. It is a Montessori program through grade 3 and a more traditional program for 4-6.

They do take standardized tests starting in 2nd grade (so this is my first year with a kid taking the tests), but they are not the same tests the public schools take. Thank goodness. They publicize their test results and they are high (above 95 %ile), but that would not have been the only thing that mattered to me. It was the kids...kind, confident, creative, and intelligent. The warm atmosphere. The smaller class sizes. And of course the method that I thought was going to be a great fit for my kids. I was also interested in a school that took a strong stance on bullying and developing relationships and confidence. I had many issues with bullying as a kid and I needed some reassurance that it would be dealt with if it happens (it hasn't that I've ever heard of from any of the families I know).

The cost of private school is very COL dependent. Most of the cost goes to paying salaries. In the midwest, we are paying 16,500 for elementary school.

[lilycat88]

We just switched DD from public to private school this year (3rd grade). Before the beginning of May, it wasn't even on the radar screen but there was enough we weren't happy with in her school at the time that we started to look for alternatives.

We live in a suburban area but both DH and I work in a downtown area. Our only options where we live was a Catholic school and a couple of small Christian schools. Our DS is in daycare about 5 minutes from each of our offices so we started to look at options closer to work. In reality, there were only a few options there as well. Fortunately, the school we were most interested in is 8 minutes from my office and about 12 minutes from DHs office.

We were specifically looking for somewhere DD wouldn't get lost. She is one of the unfortunate fairly bright, very well behaved student who often gets lost in public schools. She did what was asked of her and then picked up a book and started reading. She wasn't causing problems so she got very little attention. We also wanted a school that would challenge her and had a rigerous curriculum but not a "stressful" curriculum. We wanted her to have success. We turned down the school that bills itself as the "gifted" school. We also wanted diversity that she couldn't get in her suburban public school. Faith based (non Catholic) was a plus but not an absolute requirement. We also were looking for a situation where we could be more involved. As WOTH parents, it was very difficult to be involved in her school.

DDs strengths are in humanities areas. Languages, music, art, etc. Her current school considers those to be integral parts of education. French begins in PK and continues through 5th grade. Spanish begins in 6th grade. Latin in 5th grade. Music is 2 times per week and art is 2 periods per week. They also have a technology class and she's learning how to type "properly" on a keyboard in addition to using word processing, powerpoint, etc. It's diverse - 38 countries are represented in a student body of just over 300. Classes are small (18 in each of 2 3rd grade classes). They use a classical curriculum that is rigorous. We are better able to be involved in her school now. We can join her for lunch at any time and can easily be involved in daytime activities because it is so close. DH and I can carpool often (about 3 days a week) and drop both kids off. We actually spend more time together as a family now since our commute is about 40 minutes. It is faith based and formal religous education starts in 5th grade where they study world religions. Chapel is 4 days a week.

Tuition is just over $14,000 a year.

ETA: They take 1 standardized test per year and it's a common one for independent schools. They do not take the state's standardized test until 8th grade when they need it for admission to high schools. That was also a major selling point for us. If I heard about that test one more time in public school I was going to scream. It was all about the test!

[AnnieW625]

How did you decide on the school?
We are Catholic and knew if we did private we would do Catholic school. We looked at one other Catholic school as well. We also got recs. from friends whose kids went there as well.

What made your school stand out?
We had friends whose kids attended the school, and were happy with it. There was also a gym, large outdoor field and a baseball field. The academics were strong as well, and most importantly DD1 said she wanted to go to school there. We liked that it was k-8 school.I also got good vibes from the teachers, office staff, and administration.

Is there a ranking system for private schools?
private schools are on greatschools.net, but we relied on word mouth more than anything.

Are they required to take the standardized tests that public schools take?
Our school does the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, which is given to students in grades 2-8. They take it in the first month of school so they are really tested at the previous year's grade level.

it's not too personal, what do you pay for private school tuition?
We pay $390 per month (12 mos. per year), and $159 for after school care 8 months a year (we get the month of June for free).

[megs4413]

We decided that a university model school would be the best fit for our family. There are no public UMS schools in our state (nor any other state as far as I know) so that is why we chose a private school. It's a unique educational model.

"How did you decide on the school?"
-We identified what kind of learning environment we wanted and then worked from a list of schools within reasonable driving distance that fit what we were looking for. We toured the ones we were most interested in and then made a decision.

What made your school stand out?
-A lot, honestly. Most of all, we truly believed that the school cared for our children and our family.

Is there a ranking system for private schools?
-If there is, I'm not aware of it.

Are they required to take the standardized tests that public schools take? If no, why not?
-I would guess (and it's just a guess!) that this varies by state. Here, they are not required to participate in state standardized testing. My guess for why not, is that they are private entities that do not receive financial support from the state. Our school voluntarily administers other forms of standardized testing. I find this to be a great advantage overall, because the teachers at our school are not required to "teach to the test."

If it's not too personal, what do you pay for private school tuition?
-my answer is going to be a little on the unusual side because UMS schools are typically less expensive than traditional private schools, but we pay a little under $10,000 annually for BOTH kids in elementary school. We live in a fairly low COL area.

[Karenn]

We chose the private school we're at because it was where I taught before I had kids, and they offered me a job. :)

Still, it's the school we would have picked even if I didn't work there. One of the most appealing things about it to me (in comparison to the other private schools) was its non-religious aspect. The vast majority of the schools around here are church based and not really in line with our own beliefs. The teaching philosophy was also a strong factor. As a teacher, I have strong feelings about how children should be taught and this was one of only a few schools that embraced those philosophies. I like that the curriculum is rigorous and can challenge really bright kids, but that it is not a school just for gifted kids. I like that it is small enough to deliver a sense of community, but not so small that the pond will start to seem really small after a few years.

We are not required to administer the state test, so we don't. As for why not, we generally don't think that the state test is an accurate way to measure learning. We do however administer a standardized test starting in 3rd grade, mainly for our own use as an institution. The scores are not published and are only shared with parents upon request.

Around here, parochial schools start at around $6000/year (if you're not Catholic, less if you are.). Independent schools start around $15k and go up to $20K.

[jacksmomtobe]

We don't send our kids to private school because the public school in our area is one of the tops in the state. Friends who live in another area do and the pay $25k for 1st grade and $28k for 3rd and are also encouraged to donate money to the school. They toured various schools for their oldest and got a "feel" from each school and determined what fit best based on their values and the environment. Private schools do not take the same tests here as public because they don't get state or federal funds. It seems like tests and teacher evaluations are becoming more prevalent requirements for getting funds.

[gatorsmom]

Our kids go to a non-diocesan, Catholic school. We actually moved here for this school due to it's commitment to the teachings of the faith and work in the community. Our children go to mass every day which is important to me. It teaches a classical curriculum which is also important to us. The school is completely funded by donations and tuition. The level of commitment by parents and families here is something I'd never seen before. The class sizes are capped at 15 students. There is a surprising amount of diversity considering this school is located in a very small town. My DH has always wanted to live in a small town and I grew up here and have extended family here so this suited us nicely. Finally, we were both very impressed with the complete and utter lack of disrespect on the part of the students. Bullying and rudeness are not found here and are not tolerated. All of these points were what sold us on this school.

Wr pay approximately $5k each for our 2 older kids and $3k each for our twin preschoolers.

Our kids take the Iowa Test of Basic skills.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We almost did but a new charter opened at the last minute so we went there.

The one we wanted 1st was religious but in a more general way. It was developmentally appropriate and the class sizes were appealing. I just loved it every time I visited. It would have been about $12k/ year. Unfortunately, they were big into red shirting and they wanted ds1 to repeat pre-k. I couldn't justify that expense and I also didn't think it was the right for ds1 after all.

We stumbled into a private k at a university preschool program instead. $9k/ year. It was great- play based, 24 kids and 3 teachers, and just a really respected program. That only went up to grade k so I looked for somewhere new for grade 1.

We settled on another religious school. This time, I wasn't sucked in by pretty things and was more focused on the program being a good fit for my smart, quirky ds. The k director recommended that school. It'd have been $6k/ year.

Honestly I just relied on word of mouth, my observations and what my gut told me. I toured every private and public school in my city (except for the uber expensive ones) so I feel like I was well informed. It was hard not to get sucked into the beautiful grounds, libraries and other attractive features and be willing to go with more affordable but less glamorous digs but I did make that decision. The charter school has been great though and I love free!

Eta- yes on standardized tests at all n

[MelissaTC]

We chose M's Catholic school after the tour. Prior to that, we were going to send him to an IB magnet school. He got into both and we went private. Our school system has been in the national news due to school board antics. Assignment methods change year after year in our part of the county. We wanted stability, technology, a great facility and a well rounded education. His school meets all those areas. He has art, band, technology, Spanish, and PE every week. There is no rotation. The religious aspect is a bonus I guess but it wasn't imperative to us that he get a Catholic education, despite DH and I both going K-12. I don't know if we will keep him there through 8th grade but if he does stay, he will be well prepared for high school. Kids from our school go on to the Catholic HSs or Raleigh Charter HS which is consistently ranked as one of the best in the country.

They take the ITBS in the beginning of the school year. He just took the 5th grade tests this week. He takes the CogAt next week. I like that we can see how he compares to kids across the country, not just in our state.

We pay the parishioner rate of $6200 for tuition. We make annual donations, participate in fundraisers, etc... Our school has a bi-annual gala where they raise over $100,000 and we go to that too.

[dcmom2b3]

DD just started K at a private PK-12 school. It was my first choice because of its IB curriculum and language immersion/dual-language instruction -- only school in my city that offers this combination. Her father's side of the family is francophone and speak no English, so her learning French was important to me.

What made it stand out (other than the above) beautiful facilities, small class size, wonderful fine and performing arts programs, caring, talented and diverse faculty, incredibly diverse student body. (DD was blown away to meet native French speakers of african descent, among both the faculty and the parent and student bodies.)

There's no ranking system that I'm aware of, though there's certainly plenty of strongly held opinons around here about which schools are "best" or "the Big 3" as they're referred to on a local parenting board. Greatschools.com is probably a good place to start.

No standardized tests until 12th grade, when they sit for the IB exam, I assume this is because they're not subject to state mandates since they're private.

Tuition is $28K and change. I am truly blessed to have recieved a significant financial aid award and only pay a fraction of that. Which was another thing that set this school apart, they didn't just admit DD, they made it possible for her to attend.

[goldenpig]

We just went through the public-private decision process for our daughter who is quiet and an early reader and ended up sending her to a private K-8 school. We were worried she wouldn't get enough attention in public school. I spoke to one of the kindergarten teachers at the public school where she was assigned and she told me that they do not teach reading in K at all and do not have the means to do individualized learning. My daughter is already reading chapter books. That was one of the biggest factors swaying me toward private school. Our city is one of the best public school districts, and the schools all have API >900, but I was worried about increasing class sizes (which are at a record high now) and budget cuts (like they cut gifted programs due to lack of funding) and about her getting lost in the crowd.

I also spoke with another mom whose daughter was in my DD's preschool class but a year older (it was a Montessori classroom). She is also smart and quiet. This mom pulled her daughter out of the school to go to public K and said her daughter was so bored and learned nothing new all year (because they had already covered it in our preschool), and started to act out because she was so bored. The mom now enrolled her for 1st grade in the private school where we enrolled DD and said the difference is night and day, her daughter is thriving at the new school.

My daughter is also very happy in K at the new private school. They take only kids average and above so there's less of a wide variation in abilities. There are two teachers in each class of 20 (I think it's up to 24 in the higher grades). And they focus on differentiated learning for reading and math. I found out that 25% of the incoming K class was already reading, and that they are already doing reading groups and my daughter was at a table with three other chapter book readers (so 4 in her class of 20 are already reading chapter books at the beginning of K). I feel like she's definitely going to be challenged more at this private school.

They also have a lot of extras that the public school doesn't, like daily PE and teaching both Spanish and Mandarin (compared to weekly PE and no foreign languages). From K-3 they do 1/2 year of Spanish and 1/2 year of Mandarin, and then in 4-8 they pick one and study that all year. I like that there's a welcoming atmosphere to learning and that being smart is cool. For example, chess is really big at the school and most of the students participate in the chess tournament. And they do socioemotional learning lessons and global focus as part of the curriculum which is nice. The school is also more diverse--40% "students of color" compared to our public school where it's up to 95% white.

The school also has a very involved and tight-knit community of parents and is very welcoming of parent involvement in the school--there are twice weekly assemblies where the parents can come watch, and plenty of opportunities to volunteer at the school.

I did check out the reviews on the greatschools website, but most of my information came from touring the school and talking to other parents whose kids go there.

I confess I don't know exactly when they start standardized testing at the school--I think they do take it at some point, but they don't teach to the test.

Tuition is $25K. That is the norm around here for private schools in our HCOL area. As a two-doctor family, we're in that in between zone where we're too rich to qualify for financial aid (didn't even apply), but not rich enough (like a lot of the rich families around here in business or finance, with hedge fund manager dads and stay at home moms) to where the cost is no big thing for us. It's going to be even more painful with three kids and we'll have to re-evaluate when the time comes whether we can afford it. I really like the school though and for now we think it's definitely worth the sacrifice.

ETA: Here is the thread from when I was considering public vs. private, if that helps.
http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=428705