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Update: This article was last updated on 20th Feb 2023 to reflect the accuracy and up-to-date information on the page.
Getting your kids enrolled in any desired school can be a strenuous task. There will be divided opinions as to which one would be the best option for your child- a public school or a private one. As per the NCES data, as many as 49.4 million students got enrolled in public schools in 2019 across the USA. On the other hand, about 4.7 million kids joined private schools in the same year.
Source: National Center For Education Statistics
There are multiple factors that parents must consider before finally making a choice. Apart from these factors, the individual needs of your children also matter greatly. Since each child is different, you must proceed accordingly to cater to their requirements and expectations seamlessly.
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This blog walks you through the different factors that you must consider while making this significant decision for the future of your kids. Scroll down and dive deeper into the details.
Private or Public Schools- What’s Best for Your Children?
1. Expenses
Private School: If you wish your kids to do schooling from any private school, then expect skyrocketed education fees and prepare your budget accordingly. The tuition fee may range anywhere between $6000 to $30,000 per annum. You can consider this expenditure as a sort of investment in your children.
Public School: Public schools seem to be an affordable option. Although they do not offer free of cost education, you can avail of a majority of the educational facilities for free. This is so because public schools are funded by the Federal government. They depend on the taxpayers’ money to run their educational institutes.
2. Admission process
Private Schools: Private schools have an elaborate admission process, which includes academic assessments, applications, personal interviews, and so on. And the admission process takes a considerably long time.
The criteria they consider while accepting student applications are student conduct, academic appetite, previous performance of the students, and many other factors.
Public Schools: On the contrary, public schools offer equal education to all students despite their religious creed, academic background/profile, developmental level, etc. The overall admission process is smooth and hassle-free.
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3. Demography
Private Schools: Students join private schools from far and near. Because of the transportation facility provided by the school authority, parents from further locations do not hesitate to send their children to these schools. Thus it won’t be wrong to say that private schools receive students from a broader radius.
Public Schools: Public schools generally cater to the educational requirements of neighborhood students.
4. Curriculum
Private Schools: Private schools are not dependent on federal government bodies or public funds for day-to-day operations. So, they get a free hand to expand their curriculum and educational programs.
They do not have to comply with the legislative mandates. Thus, the standard of their curriculum is much higher than that of public schools.
Public Schools: Since public schools receive public funds, they have to follow the norms and regulations of the state and impart education accordingly. They operate under the regulations of the State and follow all the procedures and policies as dictated by the district office.
5. Technology
Private Schools: Because private schools have more autonomy in curriculum and budget decisions, they can prioritize technology and allocate more resources to technology infrastructure, devices, and programs.
Private schools may also be able to charge higher tuition and fees, which can aid in the funding of technology initiatives.
Public Schools: Public schools are generally more constrained by government regulations and funding constraints, which can limit their ability to invest in technology.
Some public schools, however, may still have access to technology through government programs and initiatives, such as the E-Rate program, which funds internet access and telecommunications services in schools.
6. Funding
Private Schools: Private schools are typically not subject to the same regulations and funding limitations as public schools. Private schools have better resources such as tuition, funding, private corporations, endowments, etc.
Public Schools: Public schools rely on sources such as the federal government, state government, local government, grants, awards, and donations. But these funding are subject to strict regulations and guidelines, which can limit the flexibility of public schools in their budgeting and decision-making processes.
7. Admission Criteria
Private Schools: The student’s address has no bearing.
Public Schools: Student address determines school zoning.
8. Denial of admission
Private Schools: The school has the discretion to reject the application of a student who fails to meet the eligibility criteria.
Public Schools: Any student residing within the school’s designated geographic region must be granted admission and cannot be turned down.
9. Extra-curricular activities
Private Schools: Private schools keep their students engaged in different extra-curricular activities. They focus on education beyond books and the four walls of classrooms. Generally, these schools run clubs (math and science club, robotics and AI club, creativity clubs, etc.) for extra-curricular activities.
These clubs are well-managed by school authorities and have proper structure and maintenance.
Public Schools: Public schools allow students to develop clubs quite effortlessly. There are no hard and fast rules and regulations. So, students in public schools can easily participate in different extracurricular activities.
However, these clubs are not under strict regulations and do not follow any proper structure. So, there can be particular instances of mismanagement.
10. Class Size
Private Schools: Private schools generally have a small class strength of 15 to 25 students. As a result, students get to interact with the teachers actively. And the engagement level will also be high.
Public Schools: Public schools have a greater number of students. While this allows students to mingle with a large number of people, it may affect the student-to-teacher ratio.
11. Student support
Private Schools: Private schools offer a diversified support system for their students, It has bigger teams, and that’s why they can look after multiple administrative departments and offer quality support to the students.
Public Schools: Public schools turn out to be not so supportive. Public schools tend to work with smaller teams and are not quite accessible regarding student support systems.
While private schools offer a diversified support system for their students, public schools turn out to be not so supportive. The former have bigger teams, and that’s why they can look after multiple administrative departments and offer quality support to the students.
Public schools tend to work with smaller teams and are not quite accessible when it comes to student support systems.
12. Bullying
Private Schools: Approximately one in five children in the age group of 12 -18 are bullied in U.S. schools, reports the National Center for Education Statistics. In private schools, the deans or principals have the discretion to punish or suspend students for their bad behavior. They can also decide whom to give admission.
Public Schools: This problem is primarily tackled by trained teachers. But considering the bigger size of classrooms, it is a daunting task for teachers to manage such conflicts.
Wrapping Up!
The battle between public and private schools will always go on. Consider these factors as well as keep in mind the requirements of your children. As a parent, it is your responsibility to get your kids enrolled in the right school so that their educational journey is seamless and hassle-free. Follow this blog to make a well-informed decision toward shaping the future of your children.
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