Reasons Parents Choose Private School Education

If you are considering enrolling your child or children in a private school in Orlando, you are not alone–not by a long shot.  Parents give myriad reasons when asked why they believe a private education is a better choice for their child.  Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice survey results from late 2013 note that a resounding 85% of parents polled chose private education because it offered a “better learning environment,” and 81.3% stated they wished for their children to participate in a “better education.” Both of these admirable qualities to expect from a learning institution are sometimes found lacking in public schools. Notably missing from the Friedman Foundation survey’s top ten list is any reference to standardized test results, indicating that a private school in Orlando does not place as heavy an emphasis on the testing process.  Benjamin Scafidi, co-author of the Friedman Foundation report, noted, “Parents want to evaluate schools based on their children’s needs, not the government’s.”  While Lake Forrest Prep does administer the SAT test annually as a method to measure student achievement through the years, these scores do not affect students’ placement or educators’ success.  A scant 34.6% of parents listed standardized test scores as a valid reason to enroll their child in a public school; this category ranked 15th.

 

Among the top five reasons why private schools were an appropriate choice for their children, 80.5% of parents reported smaller class sizes and, similarly, 76.4% answered more individualized attention was their ultimate goal for a better education.

 

Other noteworthy responses included:

  • Better preparation for college

  • Better student discipline

  • More responsive teachers and administrators

  • Improved student safety

Is your child thriving in his or her current learning environment and reaching his or her full potential?  Contact Lake Forrest Preparatory School, a private school in Orlando, to see what we are able to accomplish with your child.  Our individualized learning plans charted for every student will reach goals most students never dreamed they could achieve.

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