Providing your child with a quality education is one of the most important and most precious things you can do for him or her. Education in the United States is good overall — but it could be much better. A recent study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ranks the U.S. 14th overall in reading skills, 25th overall in math skills, and 17th in science skills. Although these are relatively decent rankings, for the wealthiest country in the world, the U.S. has some catching up to do.
For parents who are concerned about the quality of their child’s education, private school is an attenable and, moreover, worthwhile option. There are many benefits of choosing private school over public school. To better show just how beneficial private education is, here are a few facts about them:
- Private elementary schools, private middle schools, and private high schools are small. Class sizes tend to be significantly smaller than those in public schools. In fact, 86% of private institutions have less than 300 students.
- The average standardized test scores for private school students are significantly higher than those of public school students. The average national SAT scores, for example, are 497 in reading, 514 in math, and 489 in writing. The scores of students in private education are 541, 579, and 550 (respectively).
- Teachers in private facilities are incredibly dedicated to their jobs. A 2007 study conducted by the Fraser Institute found that 91% of parents who send their children to private schools did so because they were impressed with the dedication of its teachers.
Private schools account for roughly a quarter of all K-12 schools in the U.S. and enroll about 10% of the country’s students. Many parents (and students, of course) are more than satisfied with the quality of the education. For more information, feel free to leave a comment or question at the bottom.