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PoppyDog that is some great information. I like the idea of charter schools. When you say admissions are held in Feb, when do the kids start school? in August? or straight after?
Charter schools are just free schools / 'academies' in UK speak.
The general consensus is that the standard of work in US education is lower, but there's a lot more of it, including a lot of what I'd classify as busywork. Teacher opinion counts for a lot more, too - it's not like the UK where it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of a kid if they get all As at GCSE/A-Level.
I picked CHCCS because it's where I live. CHCCS is not exclusive and as I've mentioned numerous times in other threads has a significantly higher participation rate in free and reduced lunch programs in all three high schools than popular well-regarded schools in Wake County like Green Hope and Panther Creek. I don't know the Wake County schools as well, but I do know that CHCCS offers a very challenging curriculum. I will let the many folks on here who know WCPSS speak to the level of challenge there.
You seem to be agreeing with me that people send their kids to private schools around here for other reasons (not academics) although I would not say to "avoid the riff-raff". I would agree that most people who send their kids to private school in the Triangle do so because they prefer the environment of the private school over the traditional public schools, but in most cases it's not the academics they're going for, but small class size, religion, different educational approach, etc.
You're correct. You'd find the same sort of challenging academic programs at Green Hope or Panther Creek (for example) or perhaps even more challenging at one of our magnets like Enloe, as you'd find in the CHCCS school district.
I think that most people choose private schools for name recognition, to avoid "certain groups of people," or for religious reasons.
It's not exactly because their kids cannot get an excellent education at our public schools.
Also, I was unaware that CHCCS schools were "exclusive." (was not directed at you, poppydog, I know you did not say they were). They are public schools. Anyone who lives in the zone can go to them.
I will say that all my friends who have moved here from London (or the UK in general) have found that the schools were a bit behind what their kids were being taught.
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Thank you everyone for your input. This thread has been very informative. I guess at first we will take it down the public school route and then see how we feel
The main difference in public and private schools in our area is that public schools serve a wider population on all fronts—economically certainly, and also racially/ethnically, religious, able-bodied and disabled, super smart and developmentally delayed, etc. So while I stand by my statement that private schools and public schools can both offer equally challenging curriculums, for the most part, public schools also offer more for kids who need more help and special services. Many private schools are not able to deal with kids who require special education services for developmental delays or major disabilities.
I think that most people choose private schools for name recognition, to avoid "certain groups of people,"
I attended private school because my parents felt I would receive a better education and they could afford it. I feel it will be a better fit for my children and I have the financial means to do so. No one in their right mind would spend 15k+ per year per child solely for "name recognition".
I think in the end of the day most parents will do what is best for their children and families whether that is sending them to public school or private school. We have good public schools here in the triangle, save a few exceptions. I honestly believe most children will receive a decent education in Wake, Orange or Durham county schools.
Unless you have been living under a rock (not talking to you OP as you will most likely not be aware of this living in the UK) you will be cognizant of the lack of funding for our schools and teachers due to the NC legislature. This is a non issue in private schools. Public school budgets are diminishing and thus resources for our children are diminishing. I have read about classrooms not having enough textbooks for all the children in the class, some schools don't even let their pupils take home text books to study. One of the reasons I am choosing private is because they will have access to quality materials, technology and instructors. I am not a fan of "teaching to the test" which can be common in public school classrooms. I am also not a fan of busy work and the widespread use of worksheets instead of thoughtful discussion and enlightening instruction (and I am not saying this doesn't exist in public school, it is just less prevalent). I also like the smaller class sizes that are found in private schools. Kids don't get lost in the shuffle. And I don't want my children attending class in a trailer.
Another reason we are choosing private schools is there is less violence. I'm not saying that public schools are dangerous, but there is more violence and behavioral issues that are taxing on teachers and take away time from actual teaching.
Attending private school, I had more opportunities than friends that were in public. We had fabulous speakers during assemblies and chances to travel the world while learning about different cultures and history. These types of experiences are not in the budget at public schools.
Attending a large public university I became very aware that I was more prepared and received a better education that the majority of my peers. I am extremely thankful that the gift of an excellent education was given to me by my parents.
Average SAT scores can easily be googled and there is a noticeable difference between DA, Ravenscroft & Cary Academy and the "top" public high schools in our area.
Now everything is not all sunshine and roses in private school and it is not for everyone. It can be homogeneous and almost stifling when you only have a graduating class of 110 people. Everyone knows everyone's business and rumors spread like wildfire. One of the reasons why I chose a large public college was because I wanted something different. I didn't want to go to a school where everyone was so similar. I wanted diversity in race and socioeconomic classes. There are drugs in private school just like there are in public. Only a handful of kids in my grade were drug users but they had the financial means to buy more than most children that attended public school.
OP do your research and do what is best for your family. The majority of posters on this forum send their children to public schools and attended public schools themselves, naturally they will tell you that public schools are the right choice. No one can tell you that your children will or will not flourish in a particular school, whether that is a public school or a private one. Good luck!
Last edited by RedZin; 09-04-2015 at 10:45 PM..
Reason: Rude
Sittinonamtntop, did you attend public school at all? Have your kids attended public school at all? Just wondering what you're basing your opinions on.
I attended public school. My kids have attended private school, public school, and a charter school.
I do not think the material they covered at private school or charter school was any more challenging than the material at their public school. I do think other things about private school and the charter made them attractive, including the educational approach and particularly the small class sizes and small overall size of the schools. This is very helpful for my kid with anxiety. Overall our charter (which does well on year end tests and SATS, etc) has far fewer resources than the public schools my kids would attend. But the public schools they would go to are really large and they just felt overwhelming for them. I really sorta wanted my younger child (who does not have anxiety) to go to the public middle school because of the wider breadth of courses offered (many more arts courses, many more foreign language courses, computer classes, etc, opportunities for travel overseas with school, etc), but she really wanted to go to the smaller charter where her sister is, and that's fine, too. Just fewer opportunities, but more of a big fish in a small pond situation. I know many private schools offer trips and good courses, too. A lot is just dependent on the size of the school and the number of faculty, etc. If you've only got 10 teachers you can't offer 100 different courses. Public, private, or charter, if the school is large they can offer more courses.
Many schools don't use textbooks anymore. They're outdated as soon as they're printed. Online resources are much more current. Public schools in Orange and Chatham Counties (not CHCCS, btw) provide a laptop for each student. I haven't heard of a private school doing that. ETA: I see Ravenscroft provides Chromebooks, too.
Can you provide the SAT scores for the private schools you mentioned? I have only ever seen the public school ones published.
Unless you have been living under a rock (not talking to you OP as you will most likely not be aware of this living in the UK) you will be cognizant of the lack of funding for our schools and teachers due to the NC legislature. This is a non issue in private schools.
The legislature doesn't have much of an effect on private schools, true (although there is that voucher issue), but not all private schools are rolling in the $$. A well-established private school like Ravenscroft, DA, Cary Academy, Friends usually has a large endowment and can pull donations from many alumni, but not all private schools have a big budget. Smaller schools may be feeling the budget pinch, too.
I attended K-5 in public school and 6-12 in private. While in upper school I had friends that transferred to public and vice versa. I have friends and family members that are public school teachers. My oldest will be attending Kindergarten next fall. If private school isn't a good fit for my kids, I'll explore other options.
My experience is solely with a top-tier well established private school comparable to DA/Ravenscroft. I can not speak for religious or second or third tier private schools. I wanted to provide another point of view that was not represented in this thread. Everything I mentioned was based on my own personal experiences, opinions and research.
Ditto that. In fact, I know people who have sent their kids to Durham Academy, a highly respected private school, because they felt their kids were under too much pressure at East Chapel Hill High. Some also send their kids to private schools because they believe it's easier to get into UNC-Chapel Hill or NC State than from Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools because of the competition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by poppydog
Eh, I don't think I agree with that. The most challenging school in the state is arguably NC School of Science and Math, which although merit-based is public not private.
I think Chapel Hill Carrboro schools can stack up with any private school in the area as far as challenging curriculum. Most of the folks I know in our area who go to private school (and I do know quite a few) do so because they want a smaller environment. I don't know ANYONE who goes to a private school for a more challenging curriculum. One of the knocks against CHCCS high schools is that they are too competitive for academically ambitious kids.
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Just out of curiosity what is the big deal with having class in a trailer? First it's not like like drug up Rhonda Lou' s trailer and hitched it up for class. They look just like little buildings. The interior is usually newer and IME the air condition and heat always worked way better. It's quieter because your spared the echo from the cement class and halls. I always liked getting to actually walk outside versus a crowded hallway. Is there something I'm missing besides just the stigma of the word "trailer". Because that sure doesn't go with supposedly not having any classist or segregational motives.
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