Explore the Best Private Schools for Your School-Age Children

When parents are looking for the best schools for their children, they often turn to local private schools. There are a variety of reasons for this, which includes campus and classroom size as well as the level of education that their children receive. Furthermore, studies show that most parents of private school children believe that they are safer in these environments and that the teachers are more dedicated.

Campus and Class Sizes

In the United States, 24% of the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade schools are private. Every year, these schools enroll approximately 10% of the country’s students within these grades. Private schools are often at least half the size of a typical public school, and 86% have less than 300 students enrolled on their campus.

While many people may associate the availability of private schools with small cities, it’s interesting to note that larger cities have a higher private school enrollment. Recent figures show that private schools located in large cities may have as much as 1.5 times the enrollment of their public school counterparts.

Class sizes are also smaller in private schools. When compared to 15.4 students per teacher in a typical public school classroom, private schools usually have12.5 students per teacher. Given this, students receive more attention and are also more likely to participate in class discussions and other activities.

The 2007 Fraser Institute study also found that 91% of the parents in their survey chose to have their children attend private schools because they believed the teachers were more dedicated. The same student found that 72% of the parents also agreed that their children’s private school was safe.

Academic Standards and Achievement

A recent survey showed that 80% of the parents that send their children to private schools are pleased with the level of academics. Since there is more one-on-one attention from teachers, students have a greater chance at being successful and remaining on-track academically.

The national average for Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores are also higher for private school students. Public school high school students average the following SAT scores:

• Reading: 497
• Math: 514
• Writing: 489

Private, or independent, high school students, however, have the following average SAT scores:

• Reading: 541
• Math: 579
• Writing: 550

College Application Rates

Given the higher average SAT scores of private high school students, it’s not surprising that more of these individuals apply to and enroll in college. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that more private than public high school students actually do apply to college.

There is also a 31% difference between the percentage of public and private high school college applications. While 57% of public high school students apply to college, 88% of their private high school peers do.

Explore the Best Schools

It’s clear that the advantages of attending private schools are popular with many parents. The best schools, after all, are the ones where students feel safe and are able to develop emotionally, socially, and academically. Furthermore, when these and other important measures are in place, students are more apt to apply to, enroll in, and graduate from college.