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My2Boys
Love.
Member since 10/05 4796 total posts
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Private/Catholic vs. Public
Non-teacher mom here hoping for some insight.
If there was no financial concern, where would you send your child for the best education?
Thanks!
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Posted 3/1/10 10:23 AM  |
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DiamondGirl
You are my I love you
Member since 7/09 18802 total posts
Name:
DiamondMama
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Where is the public school? Where is the Cathoilc school?
I am a product of a k-8 public education and HS Cathoilc education.
IN my experience, public school was a better education, while I liked the social atmosphere of Cathoilc school.
When I entered HS I was a almost sophomore bc of honors math, spanish ,science.
I had a leg up on the Catholic school kids and I feel I did more advanced work in public school.
Message edited 3/1/2010 7:51:48 PM.
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| Posted 3/1/10 10:27 AM |
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missfabulous
#mommyneedswine
Member since 6/09 10031 total posts
Name:
Colleen
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
From a student's POV...I attended Catholic School K-8 and Public School 9-12. I felt I recieved a much better education. I was more challenged. There were honors classes in Public...more extra curriculers, more support.
I graduated HS in 2003 so it wasn't THAT long ago either. I have a 13 year sister who is currently in M.S. My mom is VERY happy she put my sister in public school over private.
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| Posted 3/1/10 7:20 PM |
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donegal419
St. Gerard, pray for us.
Member since 7/07 7650 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
as a public school teacher, but a devout Catholic, I am torn on this one!!! for my DD, when the time comes I think we'll do public K-8 and Catholic high school, but we'll have to see what kind of kid she is and what will work best for her. i really like the idea of her being surrounded by her faith every day... prayers, Mass with her class, making and studying for the Sacraments at school, etc. but i like the diversity of students, programs and activities she will get in public school.
in your case, i think i would really have to compare the district and the parochial school.
if your child though has any sort of special needs (resource room, reading help, etc.) that would trump me over to the public school side for sure.
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| Posted 3/1/10 11:22 PM |
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krooshe
LIF Toddler
Member since 7/08 395 total posts
Name:
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
If you're in a good district I would say public. I taught at a catholic school last year & in my school each grade was using a different program, there was no consistency at all. Also very little support for the struggling learner since there were no math or reading support teachers. Can't speak for all catholic schools, but this was the case for mine.
eta The class sizes were also much bigger, I was going to have 35 first graders this year with one TA. There was no way I could teach 35 kids effectively & give them the attention they deserve. I believe public schools can't have more than 24 or 25 students in an elementary school classroom.
Message edited 3/2/2010 7:22:47 PM.
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| Posted 3/2/10 7:15 PM |
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twicethefun
Loving life
Member since 7/06 4088 total posts
Name:
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
I was a product of Catholic school and when I left to attend a public HS I could not believe how far behind I was. Catholic schools do not get the funding that public schools get and therefore do not usually have the facitlities or equipment (such as a smart board and computer in all classrooms.) I have worked in Nassau public schools, city public schools and Nassau Catholic schools as a teacher and I hate to say it but the catholic school education is on the bottom of my list. I am still a Catholic.
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| Posted 3/2/10 7:55 PM |
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jerrysgirl
I love my hot dog!!
Member since 6/06 5357 total posts
Name:
E & J
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
i am the product of all catholic schools - grammar and high school. my parents sent my older brothers and sisters to public school but didn't feel they got a great education and the district was changing. I think it depends on the child and the teachers they have. I felt i had to push my teachers to let me go into advanced classes and honors classes. I think i would have liked more diversity in the public schools. I was a bit limited in high school.
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| Posted 3/2/10 10:41 PM |
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My2Boys
Love.
Member since 10/05 4796 total posts
Name:
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Thank you all for your feedback! I always said I'd send them to public grammar and private middle/high, but we're not very thrilled with our SD right now so we're looking at other options.
I'd appreciate any additional advice.
If the Catholic schools are required to take state tests and the average scores are above the district and state, are they not teaching the "same" curriculum? In other words, what will my children be missing out on (academically)?
The two schools that we visited do offer enrichment for the G&T kids, albeit they're bussed to the nearby public school for that period, which I actually like, so that they're meeting more local kids.
They also have "visiting" counselors (1x/week) and therapists to help with any special needs. Additionally, they have resource rooms for math and reading help, if needed. Isn't this along the lines of what public schools offer?
Does anyone know how I can get additional information on specific Catholic schools? There's little feedback on the Great Schools website.
I'd love to hear from the Catholic school teachers. 
Thanks so much!!
Message edited 3/3/2010 10:25:36 AM.
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| Posted 3/3/10 10:25 AM |
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AngelaD1031
LIF Infant
Member since 11/09 219 total posts
Name:
Angela
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
As a public school graduate (K-12) and a public school teacher, I would only send my children to public school. I am a practicing Catholic but I will teach my children about the faith on my own and when they go to CCD on Sundays. I know that public school means larger class sizes but I think the benefits of public school outweigh the benefits of private. Plus I'd rather put the money I would have spent on private school into a college savings account for my child.
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| Posted 3/3/10 11:26 AM |
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Erica
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 11767 total posts
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
I'm sorry you are having trouble with your SD. I thought that your SD was well regarded, so if I were you, I would speak up. Talk to the teacher...then the principal. Go to school board meetings.
Let me know if i can help out or offer advice K.
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| Posted 3/3/10 12:23 PM |
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My2Boys
Love.
Member since 10/05 4796 total posts
Name:
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Posted by AngelaD1031
but I think the benefits of public school outweigh the benefits of private.
Would you (or anyone) mind enumerating some of the benefits (aside from more diversity)? I'm really curious to see what the differences in the quality of the education are.
Thank you.
Message edited 3/3/2010 1:38:25 PM.
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| Posted 3/3/10 1:36 PM |
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My2Boys
Love.
Member since 10/05 4796 total posts
Name:
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Posted by Erica
I'm sorry you are having trouble with your SD. I thought that your SD was well regarded, so if I were you, I would speak up. Talk to the teacher...then the principal. Go to school board meetings.
Let me know if i can help out or offer advice K.
Thanks, Erica! I sent you an FM.
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| Posted 3/3/10 1:36 PM |
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DiamondGirl
You are my I love you
Member since 7/09 18802 total posts
Name:
DiamondMama
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Posted by My2Boys
Posted by AngelaD1031
but I think the benefits of public school outweigh the benefits of private.
Would you (or anyone) mind enumerating some of the benefits (aside from more diversity)? I'm really curious to see what the differences in the quality of the education are.
Thank you.
In *my* experience as both a Public and Catholic school student I found the diversity added to my education. There was more competition.
Also public schools typically have the funding and bc they are larger they are able to offer more programs. For example my HS offered Spanish or Italian while the public school offered Latin, Chinese, Korean, German, French etc.
Also there are more "tracks" you can be honors in english and general ed in math whereas in a Catholic school bc of size and the way the program is typically designed if you do not qualify for honors in all subjects you are general ed for all--or you are honors for all and struggle in say math (if you are not an honors math student).
Just some examples that came to mind
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| Posted 3/3/10 4:17 PM |
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AngelaD1031
LIF Infant
Member since 11/09 219 total posts
Name:
Angela
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Posted by My2Boys
Posted by AngelaD1031
but I think the benefits of public school outweigh the benefits of private.
Would you (or anyone) mind enumerating some of the benefits (aside from more diversity)? I'm really curious to see what the differences in the quality of the education are.
Thank you.
Sure, but I will caution that this is only in MY OWN EXPERIENCE...can't speak for anyone else.
I've always seen Catholic schools to be "middle of the road" schools - meaning if you have an average student, they will do well. If you have a very smart child or a child that will require services (ELL, Special Education, SETSS pull outs, Occupational Therapy, etc...) I think that a public school is the better route.
Also, you see the $$$ in sending your child to private school and you think, "Wow, that's a lot of money being spent on my child!" but really it's NOT! Public school students per-pupil cost is around $13,000. I assume you wouldn't be paying that much in tuition (I am fairly certain that they get extra money from the state but most likely not as much per student as public school kids).
Public schools partner up with so many organizations to teach kids using lots of different learning styles. The school I teach at is NASA Explorer school - we've even had astronauts visit our school!
There are salary incentives for public school teachers to continue their education past their masters degree. I'm not too sure how the private school pay scale goes though.
As you can see, I'm a big public school cheerleader!  But again, this is only in my own personal experience both growing up and teaching in Queens public schools.
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| Posted 3/3/10 4:31 PM |
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My2Boys
Love.
Member since 10/05 4796 total posts
Name:
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Thank you so much. This has been very enlightening.
I went to Catholic grammar, public HS and 2 1/2 years @ SJU (finished my degree @ Baruch). I had very good Catholic school experiences and a so-so public experience.
I'm certainly not anti-public, but since our experience with our son in our SD has been less than stellar thus far, we would be remiss in not exploring other options.
Thank you again, for taking the time to respond. It really has been helpful.
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| Posted 3/3/10 5:05 PM |
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Teachergal
We made a snowman!
Member since 1/08 3239 total posts
Name:
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Let me preface my response by saying I did not go to Catholic school, but I have family members who did. I'm going to answer from a teacher's perspective. When I was looking to find a job, I would not look in the Catholic sector. Teachers there are paid less and they aren't in any of the teacher's unions. Therefore, I didn't want to look there. I would imagine that many teachers have had the same thought. Therefore, the pool of teachers that Catholic schools are pulling from is smaller. I think it stands to reason that for public schools, when you have a larger applicant pool, you will be able to hold the applicants to a higher standard.
I hope I didn't offend anyone by saying this. I am NOT trying to make it sound like Catholic school teachers aren't great teachers or qualified, but I think public schools can be more choosy when it comes to their teachers.
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| Posted 3/3/10 5:42 PM |
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browneyedgirl
family is all that matters
Member since 6/06 6513 total posts
Name:
browneyes
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
i am a public school alum and DH is a catholic school alum. that being said, we won't send our kids to catholic school because of the wide differences between the two. when we have compared our educations, the difference was amazing, and not in a good way. i'm sure there are good catholic schools. i know there are. but i won't be sending my kids there.
i was actually hired several times to teach at catholic schools in areas i'm not certified in.
it's really such a personal decision. everyone has horror stories and good stories about each kind of school.
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| Posted 3/3/10 8:53 PM |
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VirginiaDeb
Don't eat me, hippo!
Member since 5/05 9252 total posts
Name:
Deb
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Public School. I just don't feel that most of the private schools have the same opportunities for kids.
DH went to a private school that didn't offer calc, only pre-calc. When he started pre-med he was so lost in his calc class because he didn't have the background knowledge. He also wasn't able to take AP classes, ect. because they weren't offered. I don't want my kids to lose out on those opportunities.
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| Posted 3/3/10 9:30 PM |
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Eireann
Two ladies and a gentleman!
Member since 5/05 12165 total posts
Name:
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Re: Private/Catholic vs. Public
Posted by My2Boy
I'd love to hear from the Catholic school teachers.
OK! 
~As Catholic educator: The two schools in which I taught were fantastic. Of course there's a state curriculum! My high school students took all of their Regents. The high school is relatively small...around 800 students. There were computers in every classroom and by the time I left (3 years ago May) there were smartboards in 50% of the rooms and now 100%, I believe. (I am not one that believes that "gadgets" make a better school or a smarter student though.) The science lab was state-of-the-art. We offered at least half a dozen APs (I taught one!). 99.9% of the students went on to college...all kinds too...from Bronx CC to Fordham to Harvard. The scholarship opportunities were plentiful; and the study abroad programs were as well. All of the teachers in MY department were certified...most of them permanently. One of our English teachers was a former principal. We had a TON of extracurricular activities and the school spirit was unreal.
As others have mentioned though...if a child was learning disabled, etc. these schools would definitely not be your first choice, although I do think "smart" kids would be challenged.
~As a Catholic school student/spouse/parent: I never felt I was short-changed. Yes, I failed the Math Regents as a freshman, but guess what...I got a tutor, studied over the summer and passed in August. I never did become a math genius. But I did take honors English (throughout) and History. I think my high school was pretty top tier for any high school--public or private--around here. It was competitive to even get in and then you had to maintain a 75% average. I wasn't a "joiner," so I have nothing further to say about that.  Although, trust me, this is a school always in the paper for sports, etc. I went to college, got a BA, got an MSEd; I never felt like a dope...in fact, I usually feel smarter.
My DH attended Catholic grammar, hs, and college. He received a full scholarship to college, won the Golden Key (which is sort of like the valedictorian of your major) in History in a very large university, got a full scholarship to law school (plus a grant for books!), wrote the model answer on the Bar exam, got an LL.M from NYU and has published three law articles and a website...so far. Oh, and is a practicing attorney, a business owner and a law professor! So much for middle of the road (although I do definitely see the validity of that statement by a previous poster.)!
As parents...do you think my DH and I would remotely be interested in sending our DDs to a school that we felt wouldn't give them a great education?!! If we see them not learning to their fullest potential, we will definitely look into after-school programs etc. etc. etc. I also think maybe we'll start to see Catholic schools become more competitive academically and extra-curricularly as a result of the mass closings. They need to find a way to stay relevant.
I think that--of course--there are good and bad public schools AND good and bad Catholic schools. I also think success depends mostly on parental involvement and the student him or herself.
Good luck in your search!
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| Posted 3/4/10 9:18 AM |
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