By: Jooney Freddison & Aalovely Lor

There are many differences between a private and public school. Both schools aim to provide education, but sometimes it’s hard distinguishing how they’re any different besides the cost.

There are key differences in class size, curriculums, teacher quality, extracurriculars, funding, and education experience.

Funding and Cost

Public schools are funded by the government through taxes, allowing students to attend for free within a specific district. The government provides fundings based on the student enrollment number and district property taxes.

Private schools however are funded by tuition fees which are paid by attending students’ families. Tuition cost can range from a few thousands to as high as $50,000 per year, depending on what institution. A friend of mine (Jooney) went to a Catholic private school and she paid $25,000 per year.

Private school’s tuition costs make them less accessible to families with lower financial status but scholarships and financial aid are possible.

Because the students’ families are more involved, there’s more regular/comfortable communication between teachers and parents compared to public schools.

Requirements for Enrollment

Public schools require no entrance exams or interviews and are typically obligated to accept students within the school district.

Private schools have a selective admission process containing interviews, academic performances, and entrance exams.

Previous report cards, teacher recommendations, and test scores/records are often required in many interviews as a part of the application process.

Class size and student ratio

According to Usnews.com, private schools have smaller class sizes, typically having a class size of 12-20 students. Public schools have bigger classes, typically consisting of 25-30 students.

The average student to teacher ratio in public schools can typically be 20:1 or 30:1.

Larger classes can make it harder and challenging for teachers to give individualized attention to students.

Private schools are smaller with a student to teacher ratio as low as 10:1 or 15:1.

This allows teachers to allocate individualized attention to students. It also allows teachers to get to know their students’ learning ability/challenges better as well as build a better relationship.

Smaller classes also tend to help students achieve better academically and have greater engagement in class.

Diversity and Accessibility

According to Nces.ed.gov, another difference is diversity.

Public schools have a more diverse student body because they’re open to all students of the local community, leading to a greater diversity in ethnicity, race, learning ability, and social class.

Diversity helps students learn more about different cultures and social skills.

According to Foothillcds.org, public schools are required to provide services such as gifted and talented programs to meet student needs. They also have teachers who help with one-on-one support for students with disabilities.

Private schools have less diversity due to their tuition cost and selective admission process; they often select and only admit students with certain backgrounds of specific academic successes.

A huge difference between the schools are the dedicated special education teachers. Private schools typically do not provide these services because of their limited spots.

Curriculum and Educational Choices

Public schools use a regulated curriculum for all their students and they are obligated to follow curriculum guidelines set by the state or the educational institution board.

Public schools are also required to administer standardized tests which measure student’s academic performances.

The core subjects like Math, English, Science, and History are mandatory which limits the flexibility of curriculum.

According to Nca.school, private schools aren’t obligated to follow mandatory programming, funding, and services. This gives them the freedom to adopt curriculum that go beyond the standard public school.

Private schools may offer curriculum that focus on specific values, such as religion/belief, arts, or a foreign language.

Private school teachers are often stricter in terms of academic expectations. There are higher expectations for class participation, homework completion, and behaviors.

Dress codes also tend to be more strict; many private schools require a uniform and a student may face consequences for getting a dress code violation.

After acquiring knowledge about the difference between public and private schools, the right choice depends on a child’s individual needs and a family’s educational wants/values and financial capacity.