Would you enroll your child in a large public high school or small public charter?...

[Pat in MI]

My ds wants to try his hand at school this year. Dh and I are going to let him try. We have a large (900 + students grades 9-12) high school or a small public charter (150 students grades 6-12) in our area. The large school of course will have more opportunities for things like choir, band, clubs and sports. They are an award winning school district (whatever that is). Which would you choose for your child? I am really interested in what others think. I know which way I am leaning, but wondered if some of the hive might have a different view that I haven't thought of????:)

 

Blessings,

Pat

[Teachin'Mine]

So much depends on him. If he wants a lot of extra curricular activities which aren't offered through the charter school, then the larger one might work better for him. Generally I think the charter schools are better, but this is just based on what I've heard from others. Since your son wants to go to school, why not let him visit both and choose?

[Cinder]

We chose a small private school for ds1 rather than the well-over 1,000 student brand new public school in our district. For us, though the public school would have many more course options and extra-curriculars, we opted for the private school for a couple of reasons. We wanted a school that would encourage ds in his Christian faith. And we knew that, as an introvert, ds would likely be exhausted from being in an environment with so many people. His school is small enough that the big crowd is probably about 100 kids total. The principal and academic dean know him and know how he's doing in school. And we can still homeschool some classes if we choose. It was a good choice for our family.

 

Cinder

[Rhea]

I would look at where my child's interests lay, and look at what each school had to offer, then talk about all of it with the child.

[Laurie4b]

Either. It depends on your ds and what the best fit is for him. Either experience could be a growth experience but for different reasons. Imo, there is no right or wrong in the choices; the rightness or wrongness would be in the fit.

[Michelle in AL]

I think the quality could vary either way. I would recommend sitting in on classes in both schools if possible. A quick read through some of the texts they're using will also give you an idea as to which you prefer.

 

I did this prior to homeschooling. It really opened my eyes to which choices I liked and which I didn't.

[LizzyBee]

We opted for the small charter school in our area. In fact, my kids are only allowed to go to public school if they get into the charter school. It is much better academically and also puts a high priority on fine arts.

[Laura Corin]

We had the choice between a large state (public) school with a good reputation - students regularly get into Oxford/Cambridge - or a small private school (also a great reputation with regular Oxbridge entry). We decided on the smaller school - the class sizes are also smaller, and after home education we decided that the boys probably needed a cosier setting.

 

Laura

[Storm Bay]

It would depend on the dc and the specific schools in question. My eldest would like to go to ps for her Jr & Sr years (but has to meet a long list of criteria at home first, which I will be happily surprised if she meets) and has to be able to get into their honours program. That's the only good program there, IMO, based on what I've learned. We don't have a charter option, but my middle one would like to go to an agricultural high school school at 14. I may apply, but would not send that dd to regular ps at 14 even in the honours program, and don't know if I'd do that for her later, either. She also is going to have a list of criteria to meet before I'll apply, and another list to meet in order to go if she's accepted. It's highly competitive, so no serious behaviour problems there (but I can't say that it's perfect, since I've never been there.)

[LoriM]

My daughters could have attended large schools. They are small fish, but their species is piranha! :) Extraverted in every way, academically well-prepared, and happy, confident young women...I know they would have done well in the high school you describe. My older dd would have been in the chorus; my younger dd would have been in the band.

 

But I am so thankful that they homeschooled through high school. I wouldn't trade that experience with them for any size classroom, or school setting.

 

Now, that may sound hypocritical, since I teach fulltime in a small, classical school now (6-8th grade math and science), and I know that my students and I have a great relationship and they learn (usually) and I enjoy teaching them (usually!). But I also know that it in no way resembles the intimacy my daughters and I shared in our homeschool, nor do any of my students love to learn and speak my language as my own children do. It comes close, and quite often...often enough that I love that echo of feeling, and keep going.

 

Even in a small school, you must continue to "homeschool" your child. Primary selection of curriculum and requirements goes to someone else, but only you can have individual conversations with your child about what he has read, and what he believes about it, and how that makes him feel...and how that meshes with your family, your values, his goals for his life, and his faith. Even a small school can suck up your evenings with hours of homework. Even a small school has a few kids you'd prefer your child didn't have to deal with each day in class. Even a small school occasionally hires incompetent teachers.

 

If I had to choose it all over again, I'd do everything in my power to convince my child of the power and flexibility of home schooling through high school. I'm grateful every single day that I had those critical years with my children.

[Pat in MI]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I do wish ds wanted to stay home through high school, but for various reasons it will be best for him to attend school. We did decide to go with the small charter school. It is hard to beat the smaller class size (about 17 kids in a class) and when I have teachers at this school telling me if my ds has a problem with school work to just give them a call anytime. It is hard to beat that. I feel better about sending him to school after our visit. Thanks again for your opinions.

Blessings,

Pat

[Carmen_and_Company]

We went with a Classical Charter school based on TWTM with an upper campus student body of about 250 in 6th-10th grades. Dd did not to attend a large public school, wanted to continue with the classical methodology.