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It’s no secret that the state of public education in the U.S. is a bit chaotic. As states scramble to qualify for waivers from No Child Left Behind, teachers face more stringent evaluation processes than ever, and new standards are being developed that change the way our kids learn, many parents are left wondering whether public schools are the best places for their children. Private elementary and secondary schools like those in Hampton Roads and Suffolk, VA are starting to see increased traffic from inquisitive parents wondering if independent schools might provide a better option.

So, what can private schools in Suffolk and private schools in Hampton Roads offer that public schools can’t? A whole lot. In this article, we’ll review a few of the major differences that have led many parents to opt for private education.

1. Exemption from State and Federal Mandates Independent schools in hampton roads and Suffolk aren’t affected by the current political mess resulting in mandate after mandate about testing. No Child Left Behind made testing mandatory and attached school funding to the results of those tests. As a result, public school teachers are forced to teach to the test in order to ensure high scores and, therefore, funding. Meanwhile, in Hampton Roads and Suffolk private schools, teachers are not bound by testing requirements. Many private schools offer teachers more freedom to fully explore the curriculum, taking student interests and needs into account.
2. Smaller Class Sizes If anything supported by educational research has come out of the political focus on education, it is this: students in smaller classes tend to perform better than students in larger classes. Teachers are able to spend more time with each student, getting to know his or her strengths and weaknesses and helping each student to grow academically. Private schools in Suffolk, Hampton Roads, and across the country have much lower enrollment than public schools, effectively reducing class size by sometimes more than half what is seen in public schools.
3. Lower Risk of School Violence Statistically speaking, private schools see much lower rates of school violence, a phenomenon some attribute to the sense of community facilitated in small private school communities. Students attending private schools report that they feel safer than students in public schools.
4. Consumer Oriented Attitudes Private schools in Suffolk and Hampton Roads rely on tuition from students’ families in order to stay open. As a result, private schools tend to have a greater orientation toward what can be termed “customer satisfaction.” Teachers are interested in pleasing the parents, and parents tend to have more say in the school’s goings on.

Private schools in Suffolk, Hampton Roads, and across the country are providing parents with a different option for education. Parents who aren’t satisfied with the education available in their local public schools have the choice of sending their children to private schools that can better meet their needs. Continue reading here: www.nsacademy.org