4 Differences Between A Public and A Private School

Children learning about plant life in school.

Quality education is one of the most important things that parents can think about when preparing their children for the future. Choosing between a public or a private school can be overwhelming for some parents because there are many differences and things to consider about each educational system. Here are four important differences to note to help make your decision a little easier.

Cost

One of the most important and obvious differences to consider is the cost of public and private schools. Public schools are paid for by taxes, so while they are technically free, they are limited on the education they can provide for your child.

On the other hand, private schools can reach pretty high costs because this is how they are funded without having the limitations of the education they offer for your child. Fortunately, there are ways to offset the cost if you are eligible, such as tuition assistance and scholarships that you can apply for.

Class Size

Because private schools accept admissions, they have more of a say on how large class sizes are. This means that the student-to-teacher ratio is significantly better. The average ratio for public schools is 16.1, compared to 12.2 for private institutions. Not only does this provide less distractions for children, but it also gives them more divided attention while learning and allows them to excel more in the classroom.

Education

Public and private schools both have the intention of preparing kids for the future and, in particular, college. Public schools must adhere to state curriculums for all students, which limits the freedom of courses a child can take. They focus primarily on core subjects like Math, Science, English and History.

Private schools are known to expand beyond district programming, advertising college prep courses and specialized programs. Most private schools also pride themselves for better preparing students for college, and their percentages of college acceptances far surpasses that of public schools acceptance rates. This directly correlates to their smaller class sizes and their funding going towards fundamental courses.

Religion

Public schools are funded by the government, therefore they must maintain separation of church and state. Many private schools are affiliated with a certain religion, and actually make it a requirement for students and their families to actively practice that religion in order to attend. This is usually a major selling point for parents when choosing to go the private school route.

The decision you make is solely dependent on your standards and what you think is best for your child. If you are considering looking into private schools, Faith Academy invites you to take a tour of our campus. We provide a quality private school education with stimulating courses for our students to better prepare them for their futures.