We’re hunting around the area for a good private school.  With a plethora of options, it ought to be easy but is in fact a difficult deciscion.  One factor complicating it for us is that our children are very different in their strengths and weaknesses, yet we’re hoping to put them in the same school.  Of course, other limiting factors are budget, distance from our home, grades taught, etc.

We’re also considering the magnet and charter schools in the area.  Several of these ‘alternate’ public schools have a very good environment and students which enjoy good test scores, yet I’ve noticed some strong discrepancies between the public and private schools.

• In a private school, they can’t wait to get to know you and welcome you into their school for a tour. 
• The public school doesn’t want you around except during certain set times and will choose the families accepted by lottery.
• The private school is usually interested in your input and in which programs you find a strength or weakness of the school.  They are ready to grow and willing to please, if they can.
• The public school is defensive.  They are quick to point out that their budget is tight and funding must go to many areas besides any program you might suggest.

Obviously I’m pointing out weaknesses of the public schools in the list above (although the list could be longer) but these are my observations.  I had one public school refuse my courteous request to make an apointment in order to visit their school as a prospective parent.

Many people point out that public schools are free, and you get what you pay for.  While this rule is true to a point, it is worth noting that public schools are far from ‘free’.  We, the tax payers, pay a hefty chunk of cash for every child in the school. 

Why then the differences?  Some may say that the students entering the schools are of a different caliber, but I’ve already selected the schools with a good reputation and were the test scores are high, which would indicate that the school can function within the description of what it is designed to do and should also be able to open the school to prospective parents and show them some courtesy. 

I believe the biggest difference is in accountability.  The private schools know they are accountable to their parents and students–if they don’t keep the parents happy the bills don’t get paid.

The public school knows they will always have more applicants (if they are a good school) then spaces available and they are accountable for their cash to the government bueracracy, which is a very long distance removed from ‘We, the people’.

So, I’ll keep looking into private and publice schools but I’ll keep in mind that when working with a public school my leverage and influence drops to near non-existent.

Share, share away: