Benefits of Private School

Benefits of Private School

The debate on private and public school is still a popular one, with people often comparing the two based on the quality of education and opportunity afforded to the child. Twenty-Five percent of all U.S. schools are private schools. There are approximately 2.63 million students who were enrolled in private elementary schools in the U.S. in 2016.

In 2015, 70% of prekindergarten through grade 8 and 23% of grade nine through 12 students were enrolled in a private school. Advantages of private schools can include stronger curriculums, more student-teacher time and better test scores as a result. Other advantages of attending private schools are the amenities that are increased or similar to public school; as art camp, day camp and summer programs for kids.

Private Schools Focus On College

Disadvantages of public schooling can include parental involvement, resources and a focus on college readiness. Twenty-Four percent of public school teachers report that lack of parental involvement is a problem in their school, while only 3% of private school teachers report this as a problem. Twenty-one of public school teachers report that student apathy is a problem in their school, while only 4% of private school teachers report this as a problem.

With fewer students, teachers have the ability to build relationships with students and help them build necessary life skills. This is crucial for helping students determine careers and colleges prior to graduation. Counselors at private schools say they spend about 55% of their time on college-related counseling. Public high school counselors, on the other hand, say they spend only 22% on college-related counseling.

Since pre-college tests are important to even apply, the potential to achieve a strong score is another benefit of the private school. The national average private school SAT score is approximately 1235. This is higher than the national average (across all schools), which is 1060. A smaller student body allows teachers, staff, and parents to work together closely for the child.

The Availability of Resources

Since many private schools require tuition, the resources are more readily available than in some public school. In fact, due to funding, public schools sometimes lack resources but private school tends to have all the necessary equipment with some using digital textbooks and advanced computer labs partnered with a strong curriculum.

You want to give your child the best education possible. Public school provides all the same benefits of some private school, but private schools provide a more focused approach that strengthens the child’s social and study skills while preparing them to make you proud.