Switching out of public school is becoming more and more common, for many different reasons. Some of it is due to the progression of what some consider “the failing school system”, but for others like us it’s due to living a more travel focused lifestyle. Our boys are still young, but I decided that it is never too early to research the public school system and what alternatives are out there. While I definitely do not have all of the fact yet, I have found quite a bit of good information that I think everyone should look into more for their children, just in order to be knowledgeable about it, in order to make the right decision for your family.

Let’s start with talking about public school. In New Jersey (according to the 2016-2017 statistics from State of New Jersey Department of Education), there are 2,516 public schools. Of those schools, the four year graduation rate is 90% and the dropout rate is 1.2%. Public school students are more likely to attend a diverse school and they have a program that is consistent with what every other public school classroom is learning. It is free to attend and funding is provided to families that cannot afford after school care, or even lunches. According to Public School Review, public schools has a few disadvantages like funding (particularly in rural areas like Newark), creating issues with outdated supplies and equipment. You also have very little choice on which public school your child attends – normally they are just assigned to one, based on where you live. Other issues can be less than average teachers, large class sizes, and the risk of your child “getting lost in the shuffle,” to those that demonstrate giftedness.

Now, let’s jump into a few other options:

Private School
Private schools seem like they are the most common option, after public school. In the United States, there are 33,619 private schools. Students in private high schools are more likely than those in public schools to receive a diploma, attend a four-year college, and ultimately earn a bachelor’s degree, according to data compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the request of CAPE. The rigor of academic programs is usually held to a higher standard when it comes to public school, so the students typically take it more seriously and are more involved. Behavioral and safety issues are usually less of an issue, as well. “As a result, classroom learning can be much more robust and in-depth than in a public school classroom. This increased rigor, combined with high expectations that private school teachers have of their students, results in above-average success,” says Public School Review. The major disadvantage of private school is the high costs. Pricing can be anywhere from $5,000-$25,000, per year, depending on age and program. The pricing can definitely cause issues when it comes to diversity.

Homeschooling
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 3.3% of all school-age children in the United States were homeschooled in 2016. The most common reasons to homeschool are for environment, religion, or academic concerns when it comes to public schools. Homeschooling allows for flexibility when it comes to schedule, so it can be nice for busy families that are constantly on the go. A pro to homeschooling is that you are able to take your child’s education into your own hand, but there are quite a few cons, as well. A lot of homeschoolers end up having a “math gap,” which means they underperform in math, compared to public school attendees. They may also under-attend college. A lot of these cons are due to the fact that most states do not offer accountability when it comes to homeschooling. In New Jersey, “the law does not require or authorize the local board of education to review and approve the curriculum or program of a child educated elsewhere than at school. When parent/guardian educate a child elsewhere than at school, they are responsible for the educational outcomes of the child. The local board of education is not required or authorized to monitor the outcomes of the child.” (Find more information here).

Online School
Once again, online school is a fantastic advantage for those that live busy lifestyles. You are able to do your studies anywhere, so it is perfect for families that love to travel. There are different types of online school. From online public school, which is run by states, or local school districts, online private school, and online charter schools, which are government funded schools, but run by private entities. When you look into online schools, make sure you find an accredited program, in order to be able to apply and be accepted by colleges. A perk of a public, online program is that it is free and you learn the same curriculum as everyone else, but two huge disadvantages are that you will not have a teacher on-site to help you and you will not have much of a social life, unless you are traveling and doing other activities, aside from school. Attending online school can also lead to a harder transition for college.

When you consider schools for your children, there are a few questions you should ask yourself:
Why are you considering this?
What will it do to improve your child’s quality of learning and life?
Does your child just need extra guidance, or help?

No matter what kind of education you are providing for your children, there are always ways to help them improve their focus, attention, and performance. For example, Empowered Learning Transformation Centers is a program specifically for this. According to them, “Documented studies reveal that the current generation of students in the U.S. is substantially less educated than previous generations. SAT scores in critical reading are lower than they have been in 50 years, according to the College Board, and math and writing scores are also trending downward. Simultaneously, our educational systems are experiencing costly and exponential increases in behavior-related issues, depression, and other psychological conditions as diagnoses of ASD, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other issues in our children and the adult population are becoming epidemic.” Co-founders, Peter Riddle and Richard A. Reutter created Empowered Learning Transformation Centers in hopes of helping students, homeschoolers, educators, and even professionals. With homeschooling specifically, Empowered Learning Transformation Centers provides the student with an ability to assess and correct the underlying causes of a student’s inability to efficiently learn the content taught in schools. They create a tailored program, based on your child’s learning style and skill level, in order to enhance the homeschool educational instruction. Another great option is a tutor, whether it’s a physics tutor or another subject.