Private Kindergarten or Public

If you can afford it, go private. What greater investment in your child can you make then their education? For us, it was important for our daughters to receive a Christian education. We love our school and and are able to have a very personal relationship with all our teachers. My daughter started Spanish at 3 and now at 5, she can speak basic Spanish phrases/words. I know the public school moms get upset but many private schools are much more challenging than public. The kindergarten at our school is equivalent to most 2nd grade public schools. Ultimately, do what is right for your family....decide what is important to you and your husband and what you want the end result to be. Don't make a decision based on what you think other people think of you. However, for our family, the financial sacrifice was not even a question, it was that important to us.

depends on the child. some do better in smaller classes, etc... kindergarten is a sort of testing ground in my opinion for you to gauge what your child needs. public is a great way to meet neighborhood kids.

I know you probably don't need one more opinion, however :)
My kiddos are 18 and 23 both went to Private K and I am so glad we did this...now if I had it to do over again I would have stayed with private ... even though they survived....!
Good Luck!

If you are in Fort Worth ISD, I would check into Daggett Montessori. It's public, but a "special interest program", and very impressive. I'm not sure when the deadlines are - I think they just had open houses. If you want to do it, get the app in asap - they are in high demand, and it's first come first served.

Either way, have you considered a private Pre-K before Kindergarten?

I really hadn't thought much about it until I had a SAHM friend that shipped her daughter to Kindergarten and she was so lost! All of the other kids were way advanced :-(

My kids have both been at Primrose and my 2.5 year old is in preschool and my 4 year old is in their Private Pre-K. I was very surprised with his homework a few weeks ago, he can spell and write ‘Car’, ‘Dog’, ‘Boat’, & ‘Eat’. The most recent letter home said that they were starting Fractions and Geometry in Math this week!

I am excited that he will be prepared if we chose Private or Public. Hope this helps!

E.

I would say it all depends on what you are concerned about. We put our older son in private kindergarten and loved it. In fact, we loved it so much we have continued private school (he is in 1st and enrolled him in 2nd). We had NEVER considered private school, even kindergarten, before we had put our son in the pre-k program at this school.

For us, we love the smaller classes that private school can give. Our son is way ahead in some areas and behind in others (mainly socially). The class was small enough that he got the individual attention he needed on both ends. We have our kids in a Christian school, which is an added incentive for us. We love the loving Christian atmosphere that they get with the smaller class and school. Last but not least we feel he is getting a VERY good education in a secure, loving environment.

I would suggest the private school if you feel that your son is maybe not ready socially or maturity wise for the bigger school. Also, if you think there might be any chance that you want to hold him back a year, the private school can make that option more appealing. I know some people put them in private kindergarten and then in public kindergarten.

I know it's a difficult decision. We go through it every year when it is time to register. Good luck!!

we will likely go private. our reasoning is that he is doing so well at the private preK that he is at, why move him at this point if we have to money to keep him there? as for the rest of elementary school, he'll likely go public, although the private school does go as high as 1st grade. at the end of the day we are public school believers.

Very easy decision. If you have the money, go private. We attended Greenhill's orientation and were blown away by the facilities and programs. Unfortunately, even making a six figure income, paying out $17K per year (not including after or before school care and meals) is steep for almost anyone. We have a second on the way, so that would make that $40K per year eventually. I think depending on what district you are in, you can find a great public school and use the extra money to take great vacations, send the kids on trips, extracurriculars, etc. But that is up to you. We recently turned in our app at Dealey public magnet school in Dallas. My hubby braved the cold and wind from Midnight to 8AM to stay in line and be one of the first of 200 to turn in an application. There were parents there from 5PM Sunday!!! Many drove BMW's, Mercedes, Audi, etc...that tells you people are watching their money and that good public schools are a good deal. Good luck!

First of all it is what is best for your family.

If he has had no preK or classroom experience he might be overwhelmed in private as well as public.

I love the Plano program that my daughter has gone through. She is now in 8th grade and she as well as most of her classmates from her elementary school are all still in honors+ classes. I do think her elementary school is an exception because of how well run it is.

Before we started her in public we also checked into private schools. Fortunately we do have the option of private financially but.... Deciding factors were....we wanted her to be around all types of people and personalities because she will need to learn how to deal with that the rest of her life, the public school in our area is Blue Ribbon and exemplary. Most of the private schools we found were all Christian based and nothing wrong with Christain based but that was not the route we wanted to go.

I believe in consistancy as well. If he starts private keep him there. The children who start K together makes friendships, connections with teachers and a bond. If he joins in at 1st grade, he is a newbie joining the class and will need to start over making those friendships, etc because he left some behind at private school. Also, private schoolers are sometimes left out when all the neighborhood children are out and about because they don't know each other.

I am in no way saying one way is best. I am just throwing out the thoughts that went through our minds when we were making our decision.

The best option is whatever decision you make for your family which is very personal.

Best wishes!