The current economy, the new Obama administration, and an overall trend toward an emerging public education system that embraces customization and social entrepreneurship have added a few new twists to the usually lively debate between K-12 private and public schooling.  

        In some ways-mostly due to the economic environment-the choices may have become more limited.   If you can't pay for tuition or the school's scholarship fund is limited, private school might be out of the picture for many families these days.  In other ways-because of the emergence and popularity of public charter and magnet schools-the options have expanded.   Yet, until the economy starts recovering, the emergence of new charter and magnet schools to fill the demand is probably questionable.  Keeping all of these factors in mind, how do parents make the decision related to private versus public?  Luckily, we have many great options throughout the Treasure Valley.  (See page 22 for the Magazine's comprehensive education guide.)

        First of all, I have to disclose that both of my children attend private schools-one is a 4th grader at a Boise Catholic elementary school and my younger child attends a Montessori preschool program in Eagle.   My husband also teaches at the only Catholic high school in the state.  But, I am not as biased as you might think.  Both my husband and I attended K-12 public schools and feel good about the educational experiences we were individually afforded, plus I know many children of all ages who attend Treasure Valley public schools, and they are happy, healthy, and well-educated. 

        We didn't choose private schooling for our children because we think it is necessarily better than public, it was because the options we selected are a good fit for our children first, and our family second. By keeping these two factors in mind when you make your decision, your child's educational experience is most likely to be positive. 

        So, how do you decide what is the best choice for your child?  According to a recent report from Public School Review, when looking at public or private schools, the following factors usually come into play:

Academic reputation and college preparation-This is probably one of the biggest reasons parents cite for picking private over public schools for their kids.  Statistics show that 90 percent of kids who attend a private high school end up going on to attend college.   Public school systems vary greatly in their academic reputation.  For as many wonderful public schools that exist, there are also those that perform under the bar. Unfortunately for many families, children must go to the public school that their home is zoned in. (Both the Meridian and Boise School Districts allow open enrollment, but you must apply, it is space-permitting, and parents must supply transportation.) 

School size and class size-This can be correlated to a school's ability to execute its academic goals. Basically, when a school gets too big, it can become burdensome to administer. Students and programs may fall into the cracks. But a school that is too small may not have enough money to support specialized programs. Class size is another factor that parents will look into when considering private or public school. How many children will the classroom teacher be responsible for? What is the overall student to teacher ratio? Usually, the smaller the class size, the more attention each individual student will receive.

Safety reputation-The general school environment is another factor that parents use to decide whether or not to keep their children in public school or move them into private school. Many public schools have perfectly safe environments, yet in some school districts, children may be safer in private schools. Some of this may have to do with the fact that private schools may pick and choose whom they enroll, therefore keeping their classroom milieu safer.

Special programs-Because public schools have a responsibility to teach all students, public schools often have special programs for children with special needs. Private schools, while they may have specific programs for gifted students, will rarely have programs for children with other special needs, unless that is what the private school specializes in.

Cost-This is an important factor that influences the private school versus public school decision. Private schools charge tuition, whereas public schools are offered free of charge.  

Religious instruction-A factor that plays a large role in parents deciding whether to send their children to public or private school is whether or not they want religious instruction as well as a free and open forum for faith formation to play a part in their children's academic setting.

Location-For most public schools in the Treasure Valley, you are either within the zoning district of the public school you want or you are not. If you are, then you don't need to worry about anything (unless they are at capacity before you register there; then you will be put on a waiting list and bused to a school that has room). If you aren't within the boundaries of your desired school, you may apply for open enrollment at the school, or you'll need to consider whether relocating your family to within its boundaries is desirable and feasible. For private schools, you'll need to consider if the location is feasible for your family. Public schools provide transportation to and from homes outside of their "walking distance." Private schools may or may not provide transportation; most do not.

Ideology-For many families, a final factor that affects their decision-making process is their ideology regarding private schools or public schools, classism, elitism, etc. Parents are not usually on the fence about this. They either believe that going to private school is okay or they believe that going to a public school is better in the theoretical sense.

        For our family, religious and moral instruction was a big factor-Montessori and the Catholic elementary school we have chosen for our kids address our needs in these two areas.  The choice to send both kids to Montessori preschool and kindergarten was also based on the fact that we wanted full-day instruction versus half-day.   That option was not available at the public elementary school located across the street from our house, which has an excellent reputation. 

        But we pay a price for our choices.  The amount we pay in tuition is a sacrifice for our family, even with the tuition break we get at the Catholic school because my husband is a Catholic school teacher.   There are still fundraising and volunteer obligations that are a big part of being part of a private school community.   Luckily, we have been pleased with the teachers and the level of instruction our kids have received-and, most important, our kids are happy.  That supersedes all other factors related to our decision to send our kids to the schools they currently attend. 

        The bottom line? Kids spend 75 percent of their childhood in school. The fit of a child in a school and a sense of belonging to the school community are important.  These could be realized through public or private school.   How your children feel about themselves as learners will stay with them throughout their lives, so it is important to think carefully about how you can make that as positive as possible.  The right answer to the public versus private school question lies within your child and your family-and if you take an active role in your child's overall educational experience, you probably won't go wrong either way. 

Stephanie Worrell is a Treasure Valley-based freelance writer, speaker and the mother of two who WILL go to school and enjoy it--privately or publically.  Check out her blog at www.oshouldknow.com.