You might think sending your child to a private school will allow them to get a jump start in their education, and you might be wrong. You want the best for your child, what parent don’t? But, how do you know which option if best suitable for your little one. Here are some tips, and facts, that you should consider, before making your final decision.

Is sending your child to a private school giving them an educational advantage? Maybe not as much as you might think. In fact, some private schools are not even accredited. This means they do not have to teach educational materials at the same rate that public schools are required. Private schools can go three different ways, your child can either be taught on, at, or below their grade level. All public schools are given a standard in which they must teach by. The students that do not pass state exams, are held back the following year, to ensure that they know the required material, before moving up a grade. Check with the private school(s) your considering, and see if they are accredited, before enrolling your child.

The cost of private school is another big decision maker. Some private schools offer grants, or “sliding scale” tuition for those unable to afford the full tuition cost. Not many schools advertise this information, so you’ll need to ask. Private schools in general cost more all the way around. Ask how much their school lunch will cost, and what about uniforms? Some private schools require their students to wear uniforms with school logos on them. This can run into a lot of unexpected cash.

More then half of all private schools require mandatory volunteer work. What that means is everything you volunteer at the school your hours will be documented. If you have a hundred mandatory volunteer hours a year, and you only do eighty of them, you might have to pay a fee. Usually, this fee will cost between two, and ten dollars, per hour. Also, some fun raisers may have a pre-set mandatory amount. Such as, each student must sell fifty dollars in raffle tickets, for those they don’t sell, the parent is expected to buy.

Does the private school have a bus? More then likely the answer is no, which means your responsible for getting your child to and from school. Remember the cost of gas, and add that on to your list of pay outs. Just because the school is a private school, doesn’t mean it is a good school. You’ll need to do some research before you sign anything. Make sure you walk through the entire school before making your final decision.

Not all public schools are great either. However, they do provide busing, lunches are affordable, their is no mandatory volunteer hours, and nothing to buy. It’s always good to volunteer at your child’s school, if your schedule allows it. There are pros and cons to both schools, private, and public. What’s important, is which school will work best with your child.