 One of the most difficult decisions that you will make as a parent is determining the educational path that your child will take. Many people often struggle as to whether they should enroll their children in the local public school system or choose private education. While there is not always one right answer, we wanted to take a moment to share some benefits of choosing the private education route: 1. Academic Excellence Private schools earn an esteemed reputation in the community based upon the high standards that they set for enrolled students. If you review the standardized test results of both private and public schools, you will typically find that the scores are higher at a private institution. You will also often find that private schools offer more advanced level classes and have a higher percentage of students enrolled in these classes. This is because the teachers set high expectations for students, which therefore fosters a learning environment full of high achievers. 2. Smaller Class Size
Many parents are concerned about the high student-to-teacher ratio that the public classroom setting offers, which leads them to consider private education. Private schools typically offer a much smaller number of students-per-teacher ratio, which can help to more effectively engage your child in a learning environment. Having less students in the classroom generally means that there are less distractions. 3. Values Focused Even though morals and religion are what shape us and gives life meaning, the public school setting is often prohibited from including this in the curriculum. However, parents that are seeking to instill valuable moral lessons and a religious foundation can send their children to a private school that can assist in this spiritual development. Many private schools, including ours, focus on servant leadership development and work to cultivate the whole child. 4. Safer Environment According to a Digest of Education Statistics, teachers in private schools claimed to have less concern surrounding student disrespect for teachers, students unprepared to learn, and lack of parent involvement than those teachers in a public school setting. Statistics released from the Indicators of School Crime and Safety report also showed that there tends to be less physical fighting in private schools and that students feel more secure. 5. College Bound Most parents that are choosing to pay private school tuition for their children have the end-goal in mind of their child being admitted to a respectable high school and prestigious 4-year university. The National Education Longitudinal Study indicated that students that attended a private school were twice as likely than those that attended a public school to have a bachelor's degree or higher by their mid-20s. This is not only due to private schools fostering an environment for academic excellence, but also related to the community of parents within the school that are involved and want to see their children succeed. As you can see, there are many benefits of choosing a private education for your child. For additional ways that your child can benefit from a private classroom setting and about our school's philosophy in particular, we welcome you to contact us at St. Barnabas Episcopal School. |