5 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Private School

Students in private schools perform better in academics and the NCES surveys have proven that fact beyond doubt. However, just because private schools in general outperform public schools, it doesn’t automatically mean that every private school is a good option for your child. Therefore, in order to help parents in finding the best option for their children’s education, here are five questions which they should always be asking about a private educational institution before enrolling their children.

What is The School Vision?

The vision or the philosophy which a school believes in and follows is very important as it foreshows the kind of environment which your child will face in the school. For example, Children’s University is a private school in Arlington that has a clear and defined vision, entailing character development, creation of challenging environments for personality development and intellectual growth, parental involvement in the educational process, and an adaptable curriculum to better suit the individual needs of every student. Such clear points of vision and general philosophy should be present in any private school that you are considering.

What is the School Curriculum?

The school curriculum is, of course, extremely important because that’s what will direct the education path for your child. Depending on the kind of school it is and the state you are in, the particular curriculum will vary. A few accepted and well revered curriculums include the International Baccalaureate (IB), Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf, but they are certainly not the only ones that are worth considering.

How Big are the Classes?

One of the prime objectives of paying for private school is to ensure that your child receives the best possible care and individual attention. If a private school has way too many students in each class, it defeats the purpose of admitting your child in a private school to begin with.

How Much is the Total Expense?

Affordability is a factor which really needs to be mulled over more than most parents do. Ask the school about the tuition fees and all the extracurricular activities, which might include SAT preparation classes which you will need to pay for, and do so in advance. After taking the estimated expenses into consideration, decide whether the total comes to something that you can actually afford, without having to give up a year or so down the line. Not every good public school is super-expensive and therefore, skipping some big names in favor of smaller ones can actually help your child achieve better things at a comparatively cheaper cost.

How Well-planned is the Parental Involvement?

Although some institutions might mark it as unnecessary for parents to be involved in the child’s daily school life, a modern private school will try to make parents a part of the educational process itself. Ask if they have a plan in place to not just keep parents updated about their children’s academic performance, but also to really involve them in their children’s school life.

As parents, it is perfectly within your right and is even advised that you add a few questions of your own to this list. After all, if the most important person in your life is going to spend years in one particular place, it just makes more sense to have all your doubts cleared before finalizing such an important decision.