Schools... Private, Home or Public?

[mjaclyn]

DD is starting Kindergarten next September and DH and I are looking into all of our options. Each option (for us) has its pros and cons. What are your thoughts?

Public School:
Pros:
It's Free
If we were to move into a different school district that I actually like, I would feel much better about sending her to public school.

Cons:
I don't like our school district
Very large class sizes
If we did move into another school district, moving in and of itself is a HUGE pain.

Private School:
Pros:
I love the smaller class size, Montessori method and more one on one time

Cons:
It's VERY expensive and would require some serious calculating in order for us to even consider being able to afford it. We'd definitely have to cut back and go on the cheap.

Homeschooling:
Pros:
I wouldn't have to send DD to a public school that I don't like.
It's much more cost effective than Private School.

Cons:
Not much socialization for my DD
I am definitely not qualified to teach her all the way up to 12th grade. A lot of this would have to be done on her own

DH and I are still considering everything, but a decision will have to be made soon. Registration for our public schools begin early in 2011. Private schools have a very limited class size, so the earlier you sign up the better. I'm just very torn because none of these options are win/win for us.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

DD goes to Catholic school. I did the pros/cons of our school for you if that helps. In our town public school was OUT!!! Heck, our police chief (who lives in the town) sends his kids to Catholic school. And while I would love to homeschool, I work full time and its not an option.
Good luck in your decision.

Pros:
Small class size
Easy access to teachers with no politics or other garbage
No extra CCD classes at nights or weekends
All the kids know each other

Cons:
Small class size (you get that one pain in the *** and you know she's going to be in every class with you until the 8th grade )
All the kids know each other (again, same comment)

 

[dawson5]

Is there a nearby school system that you like? My BIL sends both of his kids to a nearby school. They had to go in and fill out some forms, it was a "wait and see" type thing about how many kids they could take that weren't in the school district, but they made it in. They also said that if one was taken, the other would automatically be taken. They do have to drive them there, but they are happier taking them to that school rather than the one they should be in. I do not know if it costs any more money, I don't think so though.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Families are different regarding which educational choice is best for their children. We homeschool and that works well for us, but we know many families with kids in public and private schools and that works well for them. Do what works best for your dd and your family.

Whatever you decide is not engraved in stone. You could switch schools (private to public, public to private, homeschool to public, etc.) if you would need to do so someday.

 

[Aunt Flancy]

Do you have any charter schools in your area? My oldest goes to a charter school and we like it a lot. Some of the benefits of private school, but free. My younger son goes to a private school for kids with learning disabilities and it is fantastic. I hate writing that tuition check every month, but really worth it.

 

[mjaclyn]

I do like a neighbooring school district but unfortunately, the law here in our area is that you have to actually live in the district where your child attends school. They make you provide two different proofs of residence so we'd have to move in order for her to go to that other school district. This was actually our original plan, but the housing market has tanked and there is no way we could make enough money to pay what we owe on our mortgage.

What is a Charter school? It's free? How is it different from Public school?

I have absolutely nothing against home schooling. My brother did home study for most of his high school so he could graduate a year early. I'm just not sure it would work for us. I have no kind of teaching degree and would just hate to think what DD would be missing out on.

 

[msjprincess]

It really depends on where you live. My kids go to public school. I'm happy with the district. None of my kids have more than 21 kids in a class.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

I feel your pain. I would look into other private schools besides the Montessori schools. They are quite expensive and all it takes is one kid or family to mess up your child's experience. Are you able to send your child to a neighboring school district? In MA it is called school choice and it is semi-lottery and luck. That way you do not have to move but have the benefit of a better school district. If you can't or the commute would be difficult, you may want to look into charter schools. My suggestion to you would be to go to 'story time' at the local library and talk with the other moms/dads about what they have done with their older children. Visit the schools. See if you can contact some of the parents - especially those in the upper grades of the elementary school.

Nothing is etched in stone, so if you start kindergarten at school one, you can always switch.

Homeschooling is a full time job that requires quite a bit of dedication. Socialization is so important for children.

Good luck to you!

 

[Manhattan Princess]

I would prefer to send my kids to public school, as I really believe in the value and importance of it. However, we had to face reality for what was best for our kids in NYC and we elected to go private.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I chose public school for my kid, because its what makes sense. Looking at your list, and knowing my own biases, it seems to me that the homeschool option jumps out at me.

I've known many homeschooled kids and I don't think that socializing them is the insurmountable obstacle you might think. There are lots of well socialized home schooled children and you'll probably find that you make connections. In my opinion children need ongoing contact with a stable social group but that can be something like an extended family, or a congregation where a child sees the same kids weekly or even more often, or a homeschool coop, or a neighborhood where kids play together frequently.

As far as your other concern, reevaluate year by year. If high school doesn't work for homeschool send her to public or private school then. Right now make the best choice for kindergarten.

I've always wanted to homeschool, but it makes no sense for our family structure (I'm a single parent I HAVE to work, and the work I do is not conducive to having my own child there), and I live in a great school district where my child is thriving. It sounds like it does make sense for you.

 

[SandrA9810]

Almost any district will allow for an area transfer. I did it in high school, because my "home school" was the pits. I was told to go to the school board of the county and speak to them about it. When I got there, they told me that because the school I wanted to go to was already over crowded, I couldn't do the transfer. It was then suggested I speak to the principal of the school. The principal was actually able to over-ride the school board and allow me to attend that high school.

So there are avenues to go through if you would really prefer the other district.

There's good and bad with charter schools. It's private funding within the city. So sometimes they're well staffed and funded, but there's been some horror stories to go along with it. You'll need to research your particular charter school and look at the funding available to it.

I think home schooling would be awesome. But there's some pros and cons to the social issues. Although a lot of people on here have stated there's group programs for home school children. And there's always extra activities like sports, ballet, gymnastics and such to keep with kids on her level.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Our kids have been homeschooled since ds was in 1st grade and dd was in K. They are now in 8th and 7th grades.

Socialization has never been a concern because we are out in the community frequently. We've always had plenty of social activities for our kids, and they have as many friends now as they probably would if they attended a b&m school. Some of these friends are long term friends they have had for years, and others are newer friends we've discovered with trying new activities or new people coming to regular activities.

If socialization is a big worry concerning homeschooling, please push that worry aside and know that you can provide an active social life for your kids. This may mean a big time commitment on your part, as in a lot of driving to various places for different activities, but it can be done.

 

[npmommie]

Families are different regarding which educational choice is best for their children. We homeschool and that works well for us, but we know many families with kids in public and private schools and that works well for them. Do what works best for your dd and your family.

Whatever you decide is not engraved in stone. You could switch schools (private to public, public to private, homeschool to public, etc.) if you would need to do so someday.

I second what pixie said.
we homeschool and it works for us right now.
you can always change if what you choose doesn't work for you.
good luck!

 

[mjaclyn]

Do parents provide all of the funding for home schooling? If we did go that route, I would definitely want to put DD into certain activities that I wouldn't be able to teach her such as learning a foreign language, dance, music and gymnastics. Does the State provide any funding for things like that since we are paying school taxes but not actually using the public school? Or do we as parents have to pay out of pocket for things like that?

Also, how do you teach them if you're not trained to be a teacher? Do you just follow workbooks or a certain curriculum? I did well in school but have not had any experience teaching children and I don't want to be the reason my kids fall behind in any way.

 

[LovetheMouse12302]

DS is only in preschool, but we homeschool. We joined our local homeschool group, mainly for me to decide if it's truely for our family. He enjoys being with the other children and I love talking with the moms. They are a great source of information. I'm not concerned with the socialization issues people naturally assume (I assumed them myself before I did research). Once my son enters kindergarten he can join co-op. They offer everything a traditional school does....girl scouts, boy scouts, sports, band, choir, yearbooks...etc. Our public schools are horrible in our area so we aren't even considering that, but if DS doesn't enjoy being homeschooled and asks not to be, then we will go the private school route. We are open to his needs.

 

[kinntj]

In the poll I put public school, but I want to change my vote to private. In your situation it seems the best option. You may have to do some recalculating to be able to afford it, but I think it's the best fit for your kids. You don't seem to like your public schools very much and to me that's a big deal. We moved into our area because we loved the public schools and our kids are getting a great education here. If that was jeapordized in any way, I would change in a heartbeat.

You can try starting off by homeschooling at first and then enroll in private later if that would be a choice.

DD is starting Kindergarten next September and DH and I are looking into all of our options. Each option (for us) has its pros and cons. What are your thoughts?

Public School:
Pros:
It's Free
If we were to move into a different school district that I actually like, I would feel much better about sending her to public school.

Cons:
I don't like our school district
Very large class sizes
If we did move into another school district, moving in and of itself is a HUGE pain.

Private School:
Pros:
I love the smaller class size, Montessori method and more one on one time

Cons:
It's VERY expensive and would require some serious calculating in order for us to even consider being able to afford it. We'd definitely have to cut back and go on the cheap.

Homeschooling:
Pros:
I wouldn't have to send DD to a public school that I don't like.
It's much more cost effective than Private School.

Cons:
Not much socialization for my DD
I am definitely not qualified to teach her all the way up to 12th grade. A lot of this would have to be done on her own

DH and I are still considering everything, but a decision will have to be made soon. Registration for our public schools begin early in 2011. Private schools have a very limited class size, so the earlier you sign up the better. I'm just very torn because none of these options are win/win for us.

 

[woodkins]

Almost any district will allow for an area transfer. I did it in high school, because my "home school" was the pits. I was told to go to the school board of the county and speak to them about it. When I got there, they told me that because the school I wanted to go to was already over crowded, I couldn't do the transfer. It was then suggested I speak to the principal of the school. The principal was actually able to over-ride the school board and allow me to attend that high school.

So there are avenues to go through if you would really prefer the other district.

There's good and bad with charter schools. It's private funding within the city. So sometimes they're well staffed and funded, but there's been some horror stories to go along with it. You'll need to research your particular charter school and look at the funding available to it.

I think home schooling would be awesome. But there's some pros and cons to the social issues. Although a lot of people on here have stated there's group programs for home school children. And there's always extra activities like sports, ballet, gymnastics and such to keep with kids on her level.

This is 100% NOT the case in NY where the OP is from. You CANNOT attend a public school outside of your district. You cannot pay your way into another district either. If you want to attend a public school you attend the one that is designated by your address, end of discussion.

Do parents provide all of the funding for home schooling? If we did go that route, I would definitely want to put DD into certain activities that I wouldn't be able to teach her such as learning a foreign language, dance, music and gymnastics. Does the State provide any funding for things like that since we are paying school taxes but not actually using the public school? Or do we as parents have to pay out of pocket for things like that?

Also, how do you teach them if you're not trained to be a teacher? Do you just follow workbooks or a certain curriculum? I did well in school but have not had any experience teaching children and I don't want to be the reason my kids fall behind in any way.

The state of NY to the best of my knowledge (as a public school teacher) does not provide any funding to home school parents. Your taxes still go to the public school system, just as the tax money does from senior citizens and homeowners who do not have any children. I do believe that you can get some of the textbooks/workbooks that the district uses with their own students, but they will not pay for any lessons, or homeschool curriculums.

If you don't mind my asking, what is it about your current school district that you don't like? Have you had other children go through this school? Please don't base your opinion on the school according to what you "hear" from other people. You can set up a visit to the school so that you can see the teachers in action. Many times the individual teacher can make a world of difference. In every school there are amazing teachers, and then the not so amazing ones. Have you attended any of the PTA/PTO meetings of the potential school? That is a great way to get a feel for the school environment and get to see exactly what is going on in the building.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Do parents provide all of the funding for home schooling? If we did go that route, I would definitely want to put DD into certain activities that I wouldn't be able to teach her such as learning a foreign language, dance, music and gymnastics. Does the State provide any funding for things like that since we are paying school taxes but not actually using the public school? Or do we as parents have to pay out of pocket for things like that?

Also, how do you teach them if you're not trained to be a teacher? Do you just follow workbooks or a certain curriculum? I did well in school but have not had any experience teaching children and I don't want to be the reason my kids fall behind in any way.

We pay for everything from our school books to activities. It isn't cheap, but it's likely much less than what we'd be spending if both kids went to private school.

Dh and I both have degrees in education, though having a BS in Education isn't a necessity to homeschool successfully. There are so many homeschool programs you can buy that will guide you through the lessons. Support groups and co-ops are a big help. If you are involved in homeschool groups, many of the moms are friendly and are glad to sit down with you to give advice about curriculum choices if you ask for help. There are homeschool conventions you can attend which host workshops on all topics regarding homeschooling.

If you're interested, do a search for "homeschool groups" and/or "homeschool conventions" for your area and see if you can attend some events. Talking to people who homeschool IRL in your neighborhood is a good way to learn about homeschooling and some of the local resources that are available to you.

 

[Momvic5]

Honestly, I think it is hard to know until you get started and live it. My oldest child has been in all three school settings. He was in a private school for 2yrs (K-1st)- in a public school for 3yrs(2nd-4th) - and homeschooled for 4 years(5th-8th). Now, he is back in the public school system and doing fantastic. Like you stated, each experience has its pros and cons, but I think you have to figure out what goals and expectations you have for your chld and his/her education and then decide what you can and want to do to achieve it. When my oldest was very young, I wanted a smaller student to teacher ratio, a strong reading program, and a shorter school day so the private school was my choice. As he got older, I decided to put him into the public school as they offered more experiences - art classes, science lab, music, etc. Then we moved....into a school district that was so different from the one we were in, and he and I both were unhappy. I always wanted to homeschool but never had the courage until I was faced with schools I didn't like. Suddenly, it seemed like the right choice so I started homeschooling him, and we both loved it. It seems that each experience served it purpose and was right at the time. If it were my choice, I would still be homeschooling him, but it is his choice, and he was ready to go back into our public school as a freshman. Presently, my two biggest concerns are his education and his happiness, and as long as both are being achieved, life is good.

 

[krcit]

This is 100% NOT the case in NY where the OP is from. You CANNOT attend a public school outside of your district. You cannot pay your way into another district either. If you want to attend a public school you attend the one that is designated by your address, end of discussion.



The state of NY to the best of my knowledge (as a public school teacher) does not provide any funding to home school parents. Your taxes still go to the public school system, just as the tax money does from senior citizens and homeowners who do not have any children. I do believe that you can get some of the textbooks/workbooks that the district uses with their own students, but they will not pay for any lessons, or homeschool curriculums.

If you don't mind my asking, what is it about your current school district that you don't like? Have you had other children go through this school? Please don't base your opinion on the school according to what you "hear" from other people. You can set up a visit to the school so that you can see the teachers in action. Many times the individual teacher can make a world of difference. In every school there are amazing teachers, and then the not so amazing ones. Have you attended any of the PTA/PTO meetings of the potential school? That is a great way to get a feel for the school environment and get to see exactly what is going on in the building.

I think this is great advice. You can talk to 10 different parents and get 10 different opinions on the same school. I'm in a very good school district but if you ask people one town over or the people in the district, I'm sure they would say disparaging things about this district. I have a child in elementary, one in middle and one in high school and have had great experiences. From your post, it sounds like you would be a very involved parent which is half the battle. You can always register for the public school and then change your mind before Sept. Good luck!