Next year my twins will be entering their first year of high school. Their grades will soon “count” if they apply to colleges. The type of high school they attend will also be a considered factor by the college admission boards.
I attended a typical public high school and my husband attended a public magnet high school. He went to a private school for elementary through middle school. We both feel we received a good high school education that prepared us for college, but since we attended different types of high schools we wanted to explore all of the options for our twins.
We researched all the different types of high schools. Even though I’m focusing on high schools, most of these options are also available at younger grades.
Types of Schools
- Charter: Charter schools are free public schools that are independently run by teachers, parents, community leaders, and businesspersons. These schools receive funding from the sending public school, state and federal grants, and private fundraising. Local charter schools include Oasis Charter School in Salinas, Monterey Bay Charter in Pacific Grove, and Big Sur Charter School in Monterey.
- Home School A homeschool is when a student is educated at their home by either a parent, tutor, or an online program. States regulate and have requirements that must be met for parents to homeschool. Students can also enroll in an online public school or home charter school. Local options include Salinas City Virtual Academy and Monterey County Home Charter School.
- International Baccalaureate In order to offer one or more International Baccalaureate (IB) programs of education, schools must complete an authorization process. The IB programs focus on fostering critical thinking and building problem-solving skills while encouraging diversity, curiosity, and a healthy appetite for learning and excellence. International School of Monterey is an example of a local IB school.
- Private A student must pay tuition and submit an application to attend a private school. A private school is funded by student tuition payments, endowments, grants, and donations. Some private schools are affiliated with a religion. Most private schools offer financial aid and scholarships.
- Public Public schools offer free education to students living within the district. The funding for public schools is from local, state and federal tax dollars. These schools are supervised by local government authorities. There are twenty four school districts in Monterey County serving approximately 78,000 students. There are ten districts in Santa Cruz County, serving approximately 13,000 students
- Public School Choice: Some districts offer school choice which means you can attend a school outside of your district. The school is still free, but you provide transportation. Most schools have a limited number of openings and you may need a reason for the transfer that fits within specific parameters.
To access our Private School Guide, click here.
To access our Charter School Guide, click here.
Factors to Consider When Making a Decision
- Cost: If you are unable to afford the private school tuition or can’t get scholarships or financial aid, then you would be limited to the free public school options.
- How Does Your Teen Learn: If your teen is more of a hands-on learner, then they may benefit from attending a less traditional public school, private school, or a home study program. Whereas if your child thrives from the competition, they might benefit from attending a more rigorous academic-focused option.
- School Reputation: There are many different resources for comparing a school’s reputation including the school’s graduation rate, spending per pupil, and college readiness. Some websites that review these factors are US News and World Reports, GreatSchools.org, and The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). But don’t rely solely on ratings. Talk to friends and neighbors to get first-hand input from parents and educators.
- School Size: The class size may be an important factor if your teen is easily distracted or requires assistance to learn. Even though public schools can make accommodations for students with special needs, sometimes a smaller class is more helpful to the child. A private school usually offers small class sizes.
What Will We Decide?
After my twins receive their grades this year, we will then determine if their educational needs are best being served at their current school. We will discuss with them the factors such as class size and ways they feel they learn best. Then we will visit other schools in the surrounding area to compare those options to their current public school.
We will also ask our twins which type of school they would prefer to attend since they are the ones that will be going there. Since we are actively involved in their education, hopefully, any school they attend will help prepare them for college or the workforce.
Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling Psychology degree. She is married and is the mother of twins and a daughter. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, Parents Magazine, AARP, Healthline, Your Teen Magazine, and many other publications. You can find her at Twitter @CherylMaguire05.