Contents
- 1 Benefits of Private Education
- 2 Drawbacks of Private Education
- 3 Why Choose a Private School Near You?
- 4 How Much Does Private School Tuition Cost?
- 5 How to Find Private Schools in Your Area?
- 6 How to Enroll in a Private School?
- 7 What are Online Private Schools?
- 8 How Can Legacy Online School Help Students?
About 4.7 million of students were enrolled in K-12 U.S. private schools during the 2021-22 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Private schools are educational institutions focused on providing a higher quality and more personalized education for students. Private schools have smaller class sizes, allowing more individual attention for each student. Let’s explore the topic of private schools in more detail.
Benefits of Private Education
Many parents choose to send their children to private schools because they give a lot of advantages. Let’s explore the top five benefits most desired by families.
Classes Focused on Personalization
Private schools limit the number of students in each class. This number is always kept small, allowing every student to receive sufficient attention from the teacher. Teachers monitor each student’s progress and areas of difficulty closely. Teachers provide additional, personalized explanations to help students succeed.
Preparing Winners
Private schools use high standards and a strong approach to education, pushing students to reach their full potential. It’s not easy for students, as there is a lot of material to learn and frequent assessments. Students receive support from teachers with any questions or weaknesses, and when they succeed, they get extensive and strong knowledge.
Elite Education
Private schools are considered elite institutions. Their elite status comes from the quality of the materials, the cost of tuition, and the connections the school opens up for students. Students from private schools often receive more attention than those from traditional public schools. This attention helps them stand out and receive attractive offers from employers.
Specialized Programs
Private schools, unlike traditional public schools, offer courses and programs more specialized in certain areas, such as religion. This makes private schools an excellent choice for families who want to raise their children with specific traditions or have them learn particular subjects in depth.
Safety
Traditional public schools often face issues like shootings and bullying, largely due to lower control over the environment. Private schools maintain strict control and enforce strict behavior rules. Private schools do experience such problems, but they occur at statistically much lower rates. The safety level for students in private schools is higher.
Drawbacks of Private Education
The benefits inspire many families to choose private education. Private schools also have drawbacks families need to consider. Let’s take a look at five disadvantages.
High Tuition Costs
Education in private schools is expensive. The cost of enrollment is significantly higher than in other types of schools. Families have to cover additional expenses throughout the student’s education. These expenses include purchasing educational materials, clothing, and more.
Less State Regulation
Private schools aim to provide a high level of education and develop strong programs. These programs are valuable, but they don’t always align with state requirements. Deviating from state standards leads to issues when students graduate, especially if they want to validate their diploma for use in another country.
Limited Accessibility for Many
Private schools are expensive and often set strict admission requirements for students. Families provide the money for enrollment, but if during the interview the school realizes they are of average income and it was their last savings, the school may decide not to admit the child. This is just one example, as there can be many reasons for denial of admission to private schools. Only well-off families without legal issues can enroll their children in such schools easily.
More Stress and Social Pressure
A major issue in private schools is inequality. Children in private schools come from families with varying levels of wealth, which leads to conflicts between them. Conflicts between students can be hard to manage, even though private schools have strict rules and high levels of control in certain areas. Children from lower-income families may face isolation or subtle bullying.
Lack of Focus on Special Needs Students
Most private schools are focused on a specific standard of education and therefore do not give special attention to students with disabilities. Only a few private schools establish dedicated departments responsible for personalizing education for these students and developing individual learning plans for them.
Why Choose a Private School Near You?
“Independent schools generally have extensive professional development for individual teachers and groups of teachers to make sure their skills in the classroom are really top-notch”
Myra McGovern, U.S. News
Families choose private schools near them for various reasons. Here are some reasons why you might want to make the same choice:
- A nearby school gives you more control and provides a safer environment for your child
- Private schools have a prestigious reputation due to higher tuition fees and influential connections
- Smaller classes mean your child gets more individual attention
- Private schools have strong academic requirements, helping your child achieve excellent results
- A close-knit community helps your child build connections valuable in the future
How Much Does Private School Tuition Cost?
Education in private schools is more expensive than in traditional public schools, averaging $30,000 or more. The cost is influenced by various factors contributing to the school’s prestige, such as its reputation and location.
Private schools usually list tuition fees on their websites, but to account for all additional expenses, parents are advised to contact the school and request a detailed price breakdown.
How to Find Private Schools in Your Area?
Families use different options to find a private school in their area. Here are a few ways to find and check such school:
- Ask friends, family, or neighbors who have experience with private schools in your area
- Use Google to make a list of private schools’ websites in your area and visit their websites to know more
- Use Niche to search for private schools by location
- Use Trustpilot and similar resources to check school’s ratings
- Call or email to the school to ask specific questions or request tours
How to Enroll in a Private School?
The enrollment process isn’t much different from enrolling in other schools. Parents follow these steps after comparing several private schools and choosing the one they like:
- Contact the school if the information provided on the website is insufficient, and ask all your questions
- Complete the application, answer all questions, and submit the required documents
- Take the entrance test or attend an interview if the school requires it
- Visit the school if they offer tours for prospective students
- Sign the contract and pay the tuition
Your child will soon receive an acceptance letter and begin their education at the private school.
What are Online Private Schools?
Online private schools give the opportunity to attend a private school without physically being there. Many private schools provide this option. Education through online programs is more affordable for parents, making it an attractive choice.
How Can Legacy Online School Help Students?
Private schools are divided into traditional and online private schools. Legacy Online School falls under the second type.
Legacy Online School offers different learning options. Students follow a structured schedule or work more independently. This freedom allows students to choose what works best for their needs and family circumstances.
Legacy Online School provides modern, innovative learning for kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school students. Parents and students choose our school for flexible learning and payment options. Parents confidently enroll their children in our school’s programs because we help them achieve success.
Our community helps your child build valuable connections opening doors to the future. Enroll in our school today to change your child’s future!
