Post by litebright on Jan 26, 2015 13:41:52 GMT -5
Right now, public. And for the foreseeable future.
But I'm really, really worried about what school-based budgeting is going to mean for our very solid little elementary that also is home of the district ASD lab (i.e., lots of kids who are expensive to educate -- including my own DD1 with ASD who does not access the lab).
Frankly, with ASD on the table, I really doubt that we have any realistic private options until at least junior high, unless we were to go with an ultra-expensive, SN-only school that would likely not be a good fit for my mainstreamed, high-achieving kid anyway. Once upon a time I would have considered charters, but they're such a mixed bag; I vastly prefer to support my local public schools that must accept every type of student, and I flatly refuse to support any school that would welcome my DD2 who is neurotypical but not my DD1.
I don't know what @meshaliu is so hot over. Cats don't need school. First off, you can't teach a cat shit. Second, cats ain't going no where they don't want to go, and definitely at scheduled times in a group. And third, cats are totally too cool for school and give no fucks.
The only time I support unschooling is for the feline population. Any other form is a waste of tax payer dollars.
We are in a private Montessori for Kinder right now and in two lotteries for local Charter schools for next year. I would love to go public but our local school is ok, not the best. In fact most of the schools in our district are not so great. I live in a very HCOL area and if we have to go back to private I may seriously look at moving. I will give the local public school a shot but I have not been impressed by what I see and hear in the community.
Post by EloiseWeenie on Jan 26, 2015 13:46:19 GMT -5
Public. The only good private school is an hour away, and we're not paying $$. I LOVE Hunter's K teacher, and so far I've been nothing but impressed with his elementary school.
We are in a private Montessori for Kinder right now and in two lotteries for local Charter schools for next year. I would love to go public but our local school is ok, not the best. In fact most of the schools in our district are not so great. I live in a very HCOL area and if we have to go back to private I may seriously look at moving. I will give the local public school a shot but I have not been impressed by what I see and hear in the community.
Isn't a charter school also public? Just b/c it's a weird lottery system, doesn't mean it isn't part of your public school district, right?
1--we're not in a good school district (DH bought the house a few years before we met, school wasn't in his bachelor pad mind); and we're slated for the worst elementary in that district. So if he is ready for K and we haven't sold our house and moved, he will start in Catholic school (basically the only private school option that works for working parents in my town because the Montessori is completely elitist).
2--we are keeping an eye on whether C will be ready for the full version of K. He turns 5 right when school starts, so he'll be young, he is getting screened for speech issues this week, and I despise the asinine curriculum requirement to have emergent reading skills at the end of K, plus the push on 'math skills.' I think he's generally pretty bright/on pace, but I don't want him to burn out early and feeling 'stupid' simply because the work isn't age-appropriate and he starts sliding behind. Catholic school also offers a "transitional K" for 5yr olds, and we're confirming whether he will go that route based on the next few months.
We are in a private Montessori for Kinder right now and in two lotteries for local Charter schools for next year. I would love to go public but our local school is ok, not the best. In fact most of the schools in our district are not so great. I live in a very HCOL area and if we have to go back to private I may seriously look at moving. I will give the local public school a shot but I have not been impressed by what I see and hear in the community.
Isn't a charter school also public? Just b/c it's a weird lottery system, doesn't mean it isn't part of your public school district, right?
We are planning on homeschooling all the way through. We will utilize some online schooling options as each child reaches 6th grade.
I am a former private school teacher. I saw the good, the bad, and the ugly of private and public schools. I can do as a good of a job if not better. We are secular so there is not a religious component to it.
I was going to ask who picked homeschool just out of curiosity.
I'm very curious about non-secular homeschoolers. What is your biggest reason to not want either public or private school for your kid(s)? Do you have an age limit on this? What if you and one of your kids just butts heads and authority for awhile? Do you think there is any value in a high school education outside the house or sharing teaching curriculum with other people who also homeschool and might have a different background? Is your DH also planning to do some of the teaching or is he still working full-time?
We are in a private Montessori for Kinder right now and in two lotteries for local Charter schools for next year. I would love to go public but our local school is ok, not the best. In fact most of the schools in our district are not so great. I live in a very HCOL area and if we have to go back to private I may seriously look at moving. I will give the local public school a shot but I have not been impressed by what I see and hear in the community.
Isn't a charter school also public? Just b/c it's a weird lottery system, doesn't mean it isn't part of your public school district, right?
Correct it is public but completely different teaching methodologies in each Charter.
Post by snowflurry on Jan 26, 2015 13:55:50 GMT -5
Public because we live in a great school district. I thought about private and was going to go that route but the school is in the opposite direction of work.
Isn't a charter school also public? Just b/c it's a weird lottery system, doesn't mean it isn't part of your public school district, right?
Depends on the state.
Hmmm, I only was exposed to charters in CO and they were all still part of the public schools. They're leniency was in additional funds for kids (I think they only get like 2/3rds of the costs covered for kids and have to make up the rest in donations/student payment. Plus I think there was something about teacher licensure - ours required state licensure and Montessori lic. to teach.
So there are private charter schools? Why aren't they just private schools and not charters? If they get state funds are they not under the public schools authority at all?
Hmmm, I only was exposed to charters in CO and they were all still part of the public schools. They're leniency was in additional funds for kids (I think they only get like 2/3rds of the costs covered for kids and have to make up the rest in donations/student payment. Plus I think there was something about teacher licensure - ours required state licensure and Montessori lic. to teach.
So there are private charter schools? Why aren't they just private schools and not charters? If they get state funds are they not under the public schools authority at all?
I think the vast majority of them are public but not all of them fall under the public school's authority. NitaX can probably speak to this more conclusively than I can. All I know is that I've had many discussions with her about it and the charters in my state/area are not at all like the charters in hers.
There are no private schools in my city. Well, there are a couple fundy religious schools that charge tuition, but they're not prestigious or good.
We don't have private schools in our county. People think that highly of the schools here and move to this county so their children can attend. I think there are some kids who attend private school in a different county though.
There are no private schools in my city. Well, there are a couple fundy religious schools that charge tuition, but they're not prestigious or good.
We don't have private schools in our county. People think that highly of the schools here and move to this county so their children can attend. I think there are some kids who attend private school in a different county though.
People that really want private school here do boarding school. I don't think there are any until high school, and the ones in province fall under "fundy religious schools that charge tuition but aren't really prestigious or good". There's no way I'd send my kids that far away unless it was "turn your sorry ass around boot camp" school.
Post by ChillyMcFreeze on Jan 26, 2015 14:09:48 GMT -5
If I were to have kids, they would go to public school. DH and I are both products of public education, he teaches public HS, and I think the exposure to diversity that kids get in public school is invaluable. Anything missing from their curriculum, I would feel confident being able to supplement at home. But we're lifelong DINKs, so I'll probably never have to make that choice!
Post by decemberwedding07 on Jan 26, 2015 14:12:14 GMT -5
All private. I cannot stand the Texas BOE. I really love our local elementary school, though, so I'm actually kind of sad to think that our kids won't get to go to school with all of their neighbors. I just cannot deal with people acting as if climate change and evolution deniers deserve an equal voice in the classroom. Nope.
My DD went to private for kinder. We wanted all day and our school district currently only offers 1/2 day. She now goes to public and likely will continue through graduation. Our property taxes are crazy high so I was very happy to be done with tuition payments.
Post by jeaniebueller on Jan 26, 2015 14:19:39 GMT -5
Public all the way. We live in a good district and I am a huge supporter of public schools. My H attended a small private school and always wished he could have gone to the public schools as well.
I'm not sure yet--we do not have kids yet, but our school district is known for being pretty terrible. My hopes are that by the time we have school aged children, the schools will have improved (a boat load of $$$ is being invested into our schools right now) OR we have a top private high school that is possibly an option if our hypothetical spawn gets a scholarship.
I don't have kids, DH and I are still on the fence about whether or not we are going to have them. If we do, I honestly don't know what we will do. We are both in favor of public schools, but unfortunately our school district is pretty terrible. We absolutely love our neighborhood and our house, and have no desire to live in any of the neighborhoods with actual good public schools, but also not really sure we could afford private school either. At this point, we are really hoping the public schools in our district turn around soon, but especially if we decide to have kids. I figure we have at least 6 years for them to get better before this is a serious issue for us.
I would have loved to send them to public schools, but German schools get out at 11:30 am everyday so fuck that. Private school all the way.
What? How?
Fact. My tinfoil hat theory is that it's done on purpose so women can't work. I secretly seethe every time they get lumped in with the oh-so-progressive Scandinavian countries and France because no.
Fact. My tinfoil hat theory is that it's done on purpose so women can't work. I secretly seethe every time they get lumped in with the oh-so-progressive Scandinavian countries and France because no.
Hmmm, I only was exposed to charters in CO and they were all still part of the public schools. They're leniency was in additional funds for kids (I think they only get like 2/3rds of the costs covered for kids and have to make up the rest in donations/student payment. Plus I think there was something about teacher licensure - ours required state licensure and Montessori lic. to teach.
So there are private charter schools? Why aren't they just private schools and not charters? If they get state funds are they not under the public schools authority at all?
I think the vast majority of them are public but not all of them fall under the public school's authority. NitaX can probably speak to this more conclusively than I can. All I know is that I've had many discussions with her about it and the charters in my state/area are not at all like the charters in hers.
downtoearth - Each state handles charter school funding and reporting authority differently. Public charter schools do receive public dollars and do not charge tuition. That's the primary difference between charters and private schools. Any public school student is welcome to attend a public charter school.
With respect to authority, in TN, a charter is authorized to operate by the local education agency (school districts), BUT, the charter has greater autonomy. So, once it opens, the school district is hands off. The district only has authority in regards to 1) reauthorizing the charter or 2) closing the charter school for fiscal malfeasance or poor academic performance.
So, if you feel like your kids' teacher is the suck or you have issue with the overall administration of a charter school, in TN you have to take those issues to the charter governing board not the school board. Now, that may be different for other states because charter laws vary widely.
Fact. My tinfoil hat theory is that it's done on purpose so women can't work. I secretly seethe every time they get lumped in with the oh-so-progressive Scandinavian countries and France because no.
It depends on where we end up, but the likelihood of us being able to afford private is slim. The school where I went to K and 1st is excellent and they have a good scholarship program, so who knows. Assuming my kid would even get in on scholarship.