Fredericksburg Parent

www.FredericksburgParent.NET 21 Vouchers: Vouchers are a type of school choice. Currently, twelve states and Washington DC, have a voucher program. A voucher is issued to students who can then use it to pay for private school tuition. The amount of money received through a voucher varies by state and may cover part or all the private school tuition. Tax-Credit Scholarships: This is another type of school choice. Seventeen states offer this program. These programs enable people and businesses to pay some of their state taxes to private nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations that issue scholarships to K-12 students. Like vouchers, a student uses a tax- credit scholarship to pay for private school tuition. Magnet: Magnet schools are free public schools that are highly selective and competitive. Students must submit applications and complete tests to be admitted. Charter: Charter schools are free public schools that are independently run by teachers, parents, community leaders, and businesspersons. Charter schools do not adhere to the same rules and regulations of a typical public school. These schools receive funding from the sending public school, state and federal grants, and private fundraising. PRIVATE A student must pay tuition and apply to attend a private school. A private school is funded by student tuition payments, endow- ments, grants, and donations. Some private schools are affiliated with a religion. 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 for homeschools. Factors to Consider When Deciding Cost: If you are unable to afford the private school tuition, which the national average is $10,000 per year, then you would be limited to the free public school options. Depending on the state you live in you could use vouchers or tax-credit scholarships to help fund the tuition. Another consideration is the cost of transportation to the public school. 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. How Does Your Teen Learn: If your teen is more of a hands-on learner, then they may benefit from attending a vocational school, charter school or other similar less traditional public schools. Whereas if your child thrives from competition, they might benefit from attending a magnet school Friendships: Friends are a key component for teens in developing their identity. Through their friend relationships, they can learn about trust, respect, and acceptance. If you are considering other schools, you should have your teen visit for the day to see how they interact with the other students. Also find out about the social clubs, sports and other activities offered. 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 Assess- ment of Educational Progress (NAEP). 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.

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