When sending your child to school, you want them to have the best possible chance of success. What they learn and the habits that they develop in school can help them well into adulthood and in their careers. If you feel that the public schools in your area are not up to the standards you want for your child, explore some of the lesser-known alternatives to public school that are out there.
Home School
The criteria for homeschooling vary from state to state, but in each, it does require authorization from the local government and a qualified instructor. This instructor can either be a parent of the student or a tutor hired by the parents. Regardless of the instructor, the schooling is conducted inside of the home, and the curriculum is dictated by the student’s parent.
This flexibility in education is cited as one of the major benefits to homeschooling children, as it can adapt to the student’s interest and skill level. The student can learn at their own pace and focus more on challenging points and move on when they are ready.
Magnet Schools
These schools are specially designed to focus intensively on one subject and have students focus mainly on that chosen subject. These subjects range from mathematics to the arts to STEM—just to name a few. These schools still have students study the core subjects of traditional learning, but they are not given equal focus as the specialized subject.
Magnet schools are not independent organizations; they operate within already existing school districts and require students to take an entrance exam to see if their skill level is high enough to warrant their acceptance.
Charter Schools
Charter schools operate outside of the public school system. They are run by independent actors, such as community leaders, parents, and educational entrepreneurs. This offers charter schools the freedom to create their own particular learning environment for the student body and the ability to change the curriculum if they believe that there is a better learning option.
While they are independent, they are still monitored by government organizations to guarantee their legitimacy, safety, and the school’s academic integrity. Students are tested by the state to make sure that the education they are receiving is to acceptable standards.
Those are just three alternatives to public schools, and other forms of schooling exist. They sometimes only vary slightly from the schools mentioned here, but they can also be vastly different due to the nature of independent schooling experiences.
