Factors to Consider When Choosing a Private School

The decision to enroll a child in a private school involves examining and evaluating some of the following issues:

Student-teacher ratio, individual attention, parental involvement, academic issues, program balance, class size, teacher dedication, innovation and the potential for innovation, teacher training and experience, productive climate culture, achievement expectations, assessment issues, discipline issues, educational leadership, monitoring/evaluation, student autonomy, co-operation/consensus, orderly climate, high expectations, opportunity to learn, time on task, homework, cooperative learning, feedback, reinforcement, differentiation/adaptive instruction, classroom and school safety, school climate, school policies, community environment, classroom resources, parental and school shared educational philosophy, character education, core values, leadership development, computer skills, technology, online classes, a Moodle site, life skills, reading literacy, mathematical literacy, scientific literacy, social scientific literacy, social responsibility and spiritual growth.

All of these are important.  Three issues encompass many of the above list:  smaller class size, no bureaucracy, and a high level of parent involvement.

Smaller classes - Students are more confident and teachers are more relaxed which make for a less stressful environment. No two children learn the same way. There is no "one size fits all" solution to education.  With smaller classes teachers get to know their students, match student learning styles and needs to lessons and have more time to address individual questions and concerns.  

No bureaucracy - Parents, students and teachers share the common goal of providing the most effective education to the students. With a bureaucracy comes authority based decisions, division of labor, explicit rules and impersonal interaction. These conditions create a perceptual discrimination and aversion to change. In a small school parents and students interact with the teacher to develop decisions based on common goals.

Parental Involvement - Private schools are built around open communication between parents and teachers. Private schools create a community that directly accountable to both students and parents.  

The Office of Innovation and Improvement of the United States Department of Education published a 52 page booklet in 2007 titled Choosing a School For Your Child. First, write down five things that are most important to you as you consider the choice of a school, and then take the following four steps:

1. Consider your child and your family.

2. Gather information about schools.

3. Visit and observe schools.

4. Apply to the school(s) you choose. 

This printable free book is also available on the Department’s Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/parents/schools/find/choose

Marketplace Mission Learning Center on Marco Island, Florida offers a 9-3 day school for five to seven students in a safe, quiet environment.

For more information about our school, go to MMLC