There are more schooling options available now than there ever has been to form education to your family’s lifestyle. There’s public, charter, private, home school, online schooling; just about anything you can think of. The most traditional method of schooling is still public school, but charter schools have become a lot more mainstream over the past few years. When it comes to making the decision to enroll your child in public school or charter school, it’s not always easy. There of course are pros and cons with each option and here we have it all laid out so that you can make the choice that is best for your child and their educational needs.
Public School
Public schooling can sometimes get push back from parents regarding their child’s education, but public schools have arguably the most resources and funding available for your child. They are run by the school district who is filled with some of the most educated and qualified professionals in the education system whose job is to improve and elevate the educational standards being taught to your child. You don’t have to pay a dime for your child’s education. A great perk for some schools is the ability to provide free meals to the students because of all the government funded programs that are put in place to benefit the kids. Some drawbacks include large class sizes which a can make it hard for students to get the additional help if they require it. The district tries their best to combat this issue with tutoring programs and other inclusion programs designed to give students that extra help in the classroom if needed.
Charter School
Charter schools have the feel of a public school but with a few significant differences educational wise. They are not obligated to follow the same regulations that the school district lays out, giving them more freedom in the classroom. Teachers are able to teach in different styles to help their students grasp the concept if they aren’t getting it when taught the traditional way. Since the district is not involved with charter schools, neither is the school districts transportation system. Charter schools still get public funding so you do not have to pay to enroll but you don’t get the luxury of a yellow school bus. Another difference is that they operate with a lottery enrollment system. Charter schools have a maximum capacity limit to ensure their classroom size doesn’t get too large, allowing them to give the children more individual attention. The lottery enrollment system takes effect when the capacity limit has been met and more students want to enroll. This ensures that it is kept fair. A nice perk is if you already have one child enrolled and you want their sibling to attend the same school, the siblings have priority over kids that are currently not attending the school.
Education is important and choosing the right school for your child can be a daunting task. Something to keep in mind is that you can always change your mind! You can spend days researching the perfect school for your child only for them to go there and be unhappy. Yes the main focus of school is education, but you have to take their social life into account as well when making the choice and sometimes you have to try different options on to find the right fit.