Private school choice guide: What you need to know

Are private schools always pricey? In this crash course in private school choice, we answer common questions about K-12 private education. When you’re looking for a new school, we suggest keeping your search wide and considering all types. If you decide private school is best for you, there are often scholarship programs to help offset tuition costs.

PRIVATE SCHOOL RESOURCES:

► State-run scholarships for private school: https://www.edchoice.org/school-choic...
► Privately-funded scholarships: https://scholarshipfund.org/
► General information, student demographics, and parent reviews for private school: https://www.greatschools.org/
► Academics, diversity, teachers, college prep, clubs, and sports data: https://www.niche.com/
► Student body, academics, faculty, finance, and admission data: https://www.privateschoolreview.com/
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What’s the difference between a private school and a charter school? One big difference is that charter schools are always public schools while private schools are, well, private. Because charter schools are public, they are free to attend. Charter schools are funded by taxpayer dollars. Meanwhile, private schools charge tuition and fundraise to cover their expenses. Because private schools are not funded by taxpayer dollars, private schools have much wider latitude on how to educate.

Are private schools worth considering if you're not rich? Absolutely. Not only do a majority of states in America have a program for some families that helps them afford private school, but there are many charitable organizations that operate independently and focus on helping families afford private school, like Children's Scholarship Fund or ACE Scholarships. Plus, individual schools often have their own financial aid programs.

Where can I find private school ratings? Great Schools, Niche, and Private School Review are three sites that share student body data, parent reviews, admission data, and more. Just remember, reviews aren’t everything! You can make the best decision for your child by actually visiting schools or speaking with school staff.

Do private schools have to follow state standards? Each state sets its own rules for private schools. Many of them require private schools to be licensed or approved by the state. Private schools usually follow state rules for safety, health, building codes, and minimum number of school days required.

What is a school voucher? Fifteen states and D.C. have school voucher programs. Families who participate in these programs can use all or a portion of the public funding set aside for their children’s education to pay for tuition at a private school.

What is a tax-credit scholarship? In some states, taxpayers and organizations can donate funding to a scholarship-granting organization and receive tax credits for those donations. The scholarship-granting organizations give the funding to families who use it on private school tuition.

What is an ESA? Education Savings Accounts or ESAs are government-authorized savings accounts with a set amount of money that parents can use to pay for private school tuition or other learning expenses.

What is a tax-credit program? An individual tax-credit or deduction program allows families to reduce the amount they owe in state income tax by an amount they've spent on education.

We don’t play favorites… Learn about all 6 types of school choice:
➡️ Traditional Public School: https://schoolchoiceweek.com/traditio...
➡️ Public Charter School: https://schoolchoiceweek.com/public-c...
➡️ Public Magnet School: https://schoolchoiceweek.com/public-m...
➡️ Private School: https://schoolchoiceweek.com/private-...
➡️ Online School: https://schoolchoiceweek.com/guide-to...
➡️ Homeschooling: https://schoolchoiceweek.com/homescho...

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