Georgetown Texas Schools - Private or Public? (how much, neighborhood)

[Georgetown Texas - Edward]

Just wondering what experiences are out there:

I live in a neighborhood that has an Exemplary rated elementary school (Village Elementary) and I also have tons of friends that send their kids to private school, like Grace Academy. We're currently trying to find out what would be the better decision. We could walk the kids to a great public school that's right in our neighborhood or spend a couple thousand a year to take them to a Classical Christian school. I'd much rather invest money into my kid's formative years of schooling then in the later years, but I just want to make sure it's justified especially when the alternative is a great public school system.

Anyone else had this dilemma?

[jwb123]

Your tax dollars are paying for that exemplary rated school. Why let it go to waste, and pay twice? I have NO problems with quality public schools - in fact, I would choose a top rated public school over private, any day.

[Georgetown Texas - Edward]

Yeah, and tax rates aren't cheap in Texas!

[Trainwreck20]

I have some co-workers that are still revisiting their decision to send their kids to a private school. They did get and EXCELLENT education, but they may have had that at the public schools that they were feeding into. Both their kids are goinging to a public HS (actually, the second starts next year). The one that has been in HS for a year is doing great.

Anyway, I know that doesn't really help, but we are currently planning to send ours to public schools, since we are paying for them and they are very good in our area.

[Rose Red]

I agree with the posts. Why pay for private school when you already pay taxes for an exemplary rated public school? I would save the money and use it toward their college education or just save it for retirement. Lord only knows what that is going to cost us in the future.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by Rose Red

I agree with the posts. Why pay for private school when you already pay taxes for an exemplary rated public school? I would save the money and use it toward their college education or just save it for retirement. Lord only knows what that is going to cost us in the future.

Many people send their kids to private school for lower teacher-student ratios, more input/accesibility into the school management and - most importantly- a religious/moral component to education. Not for everyone, but to some people...it's everything.

[Georgetown Texas - Edward]

I know that there exists the same immorality issues in private schools as in public schools, but I hear they are more proactive and intolerant of misbehavior and distractions to the educational process. This is important to me.

Also, the angle that they take when they teach my kids science and other subjects is also important. I don't want my kids to be spoon fed a curriculum as truth when, in reality, it's just another theory. Or for the basis of their education to be subjective truth and relativism, when I believe that truth is absolute and there is a right and wrong that exists. Sure, I can teach and correct at home, but I would rather the system support my basic fundamental beliefs rather then go against them.

How much is that worth to you as a parent? Or does it all come down to how well the school helps your kid score on the SATs? To me, it's got to be more than that. Because now, at age 31, nobody cares about my SAT scores, but my basic fundamental beliefs still have a profound impact on myself, my family and those around me.

I still have a year to decide between public and private, I doubt this thread will last that long!