For Immediate Release

Independent Private School: A Value Added Education

Americans are savvy, intelligent consumers who seek value for every dollar they spend. We study the marketplace, look for the best returns, and make every effort to secure a strong future for ourselves and our children.  Is it any wonder that more and more parents are choosing private education for their children?  Study after study has demonstrated that private education will pay dividends that will last a lifetime; a true value added education.

New data from the U.S. Department of Education and its National Education Longitudinal Study, indicate very clearly the lifelong value that a private education can provide.

For example, according to the study, while 76.3 percent of students who attended independent, nonsectarian  private schools went on to graduate from college, only 38.1 per cent of students who attended public school did so.

The study found that students who were attending an independent private school in the eighth grade were more than twice as likely to graduate from college than their public school counterparts. Of special
note: Students who come from the lowest quartile of socioeconomic status who attend private school, are four times more likely to graduate from college than their public school counterparts.

The study also found that of students who attended independent private schools, 71.1 percent achieved 1100 or better on the SAT- a score that would qualify most students for admission to highly selective colleges and universities. By comparison only 20.2 percent of public school students achieved SAT scores of 1100 or above.

As adults, nine out ten graduates of independent private schools expressed satisfaction with their jobs.

In an era of super-sized schools, many families find great value in the small class and school size that private schools offer.  According to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Education the average teacher-student ratio at independent private schools is  9.1 :1.  The average size of an independent private school is only 193 students. Both students and parents value the strong bonds of lifelong friendships that develop between students and faculty as well as between students and families in the small private school environment. The study claimed, “Research suggests that small…sized schools and…small classes… have advantages…leading to higher achievement.”

Historically, research has found that private school students achieve higher standardized test scores and higher grades. These higher test scores and higher grades correspond in turn, to a higher rate of college scholarships being awarded to students from private schools, yet another value of private education. Although it may seem that the cost of  private elementary and secondary school is high, when it is balanced with the heightened opportunities for college scholarships, the true value becomes apparent.

Another key element of independent private schools is their emphasis upon providing a rigorous curriculum that encourages students to master core knowledge at an early age.

The Washington Times reported that a study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found, “Nationwide, public school teachers are almost twice as likely as other parents to choose private schools for their own children.”

As a parent, you have an opportunity to choose a school with a mission…a school’s philosophy, values and approaches to teaching…that is right for your child. Choose an exceptional, independent private school that prepares your child not just for this year’s tests, but for all of life’s tests. Choose a private school where young people learn not only reading and math, but also the ability to think critically and creatively. Chose a school where young people learn the importance of leadership, personal responsibility, and good citizenship; a true value added experience that provides a lifetime of educational dividends.
 
For more information contact Monticello Preparatory School, an independent private school, at (661) 993-0296.