A Primer on School Options
If you find yourself trying to understand schools and feel like the neighborhood public school or the big-name private school are the only options for your child, you might want to investigate your options further. Within both the public education system and amongst private schools, parents have several school options. The following information provides a useful overview of school options around the country. It is based on the framework of school options in Seattle city and the Eastside neighborhoods of Seattle and is thus most accurate in its details for that geographic area:
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Option schools: This term refers to all school options that lie outside your default neighborhood-based assignment.
English Language Learners: Schools that focus on providing specialized instruction to learners for who English is a second language. Several district schools provide specialised ELL instruction. In addition school districts have bilingual orientation centers for on-going support and dual language immersion programs.
Advanced Learning or “Gifted” Programs: Rigorous academic programs focused on fast-paced learning of regular content and skills in addition developing higher level cognitive skills. Programs might be Self-contained (a whole class or whole school of accelerated learners) or Pull out (advanced learnig offered a limited number of hours/week in-place of regular instruction).
International schools and Language Immersion programs: International schools provide students with linguistic schools, higher cognition skills and skills for living in a 21st century globalized world. These schools provide innovative educational opportunities that prepare students for college, life and careers in the changing world. As part of the program offerings, many International schools offer partial, intensive foreign language immersion.
Alternative schools: Alternative schools, sometimes referred to as “Progressive schools” or “Choice schools” are known for being child-centered, test averse and focused on using problem-based, project-oriented learning. Classrooms are often multi-age and smaller in size. Curriculum is often theme or topic based rather than subject based and innovative hands-on teaching methods are used. Community service and parent involvement is high.
Special education: Special education services are offered to children with learning disabilities both within a neighborhood school and in specialized learning facilities.
Montessorie: Specialized in the philosophy of Maria Montessorie, these schoools offer self-paced, life-skills based instruction that uses Montessorie tools. The schools are most often self-contained in that the whole school is based on the Montessorie philosophy.
Charter schools: Charter school have been in the news most recently for their innovative, rigorous efforts and success at providing high-quality instruction to children in low-income neighborhoods. Charter schools are not restricted to low-income neighborhoods. They are public schools that receive limited public funding that they trade-off for greater freedom for curricular methodologies, structure and school function. They don’t adhere to the same standards of testing as public schools and are often focused on specialized instruction that meets the needs of a specific neighborhood community. Most recently, they have been known for achieving high levels of student competence that is ensured through well-considered, progressive curricula. Washington state does not have Charter schools.
Magnet schools: Magnet schools specialize in providing high-quality instruction in a specific subject area such as Math, Science, Technology, Finance. Sometimes multiple Magnet schools combine to create a single, integrated learning center. Magnet schools are an entity unto themselves and should not be confused with other public schools that hold a worthy reputation for in-depth, quality coverage of extra-curricular programs such as Music, Orchestra or a specific sport.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Traditional private schools: Traditional private schools focus on high-quality academic achievement in its students. High caliber teachers at these schools provide curricular coverage using innovative teaching methods. Instructional focus is on scholarly intellectual development through clearly defined academic areas of study. This development is balanced in part with compelling arts and sports programs but academics remain the focus and mainstay of these schools. While these schools are not required to meet state education standards, they often pride themselves for teaching at standards higher than those specified by the state. Most students at these schools are well versed with test taking and achieving excellent results in standardized tests.
Parocial schools: A school that offers religious instruction in additional to conventional academic instruction. Parocial schools based on Christian, Jewish, Muslim faiths are more common than others. These schools tend to be less expensive than other private schools. Their academic programs most often resemble those of Traditional private schools.
Progressive private schools: Progressive private schools are a riff on traditional schools in their ultimate focus on academic achievement. They set themselves apart by shining a gentler, more fluid light on academics. Academic subjects are often more integrated and treated with greater flexibility in terms of curricular coverage. This flexibility allows progressive schools teachers to invest in more innovative teaching techniques, sometimes based on student-input and curiosity. Thus, it is not uncommon for subject-matter coverage to deviate from teacher-created lesson plans and follow a path driven by student questions, often taking them out of classrooms. Making the curriculum “child-centered” by considering the specific pace of individual learners is another curricular consideration. Progressive schools pride themselves in the community relationships they cultivate and leverage in making their education more “hands-on”, “project-based” and “integrated”.
“Gifted” Programs: Like public schools that offered Accelerated Learning, private schools for “Gifted” learners offer rigorous, high-pace academic learning with a focus on the development of higher cognitive skills. Gifted learners in these schools are at least one if not two grade levels above in Math and Reading skills. Attention is paid to the specific social and emotional needs of gifted learners in addition to their high need for intellectual growth. Most often, the whole school, all grades offer gifted child instruction. A less common practice involves gifted child instruction as an after-school option to those learners who want to transition into full-time Accelerate/Gifted learning programs.
Special education schools: Focus on providing instruction to children with learning disabilities.
Montessorie: Montessorie private schools, like their public school counterparts offer instruction based on the Montessorie philosophy. Each learner works through a pre-defined curricular progression at her own pace using Montessorie materials. Montessorie materials emphasize hands-on, tactile learning for academic content. The development of life skills is also emphasized. Every school is characterized by its own implementation of the Montessorie philosophy and may add additional program elements.
Waldorf: Waldorf schools are based on the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. They lay emphasis on the emotional development of the child over the intellectual development. An engagement with the natural world as well as life-skills learning is emphasized. Hand-work through crafts such as knitting and woodwork is taught. Academic content is explored through multiple media including music, art and the body. Folklore and mythology are a primary tool for exploring ideas and concepts. Community is central to the Waldorf experience and schools espouse an aversion to the use of technology and media.
Radical private schools: “Free schools”, “Democratic schools” fall under this category. Founded on the fundamental belief that every individual is born with a deep inner wisdom, radical schools focus on “educating” or “bringing forth” the inner wisdom of each child. Teachers in radical schools observe and actively participate in guiding a process of unraveling the inner being of a child. The child is an active participant and constructor of her/his education. Towards this goal, radical schools tend to be democratic in nature to varying degrees, fostering student participation in the governance of the school at many levels. In some radical schools like the Sudbury Valley schools, students vote and run all aspects of the school including setting the budget and hiring teachers whereas in less democratic incarnations, they serve on the Board of Trustees and advise on the enrollment of new students.Radical schools rarely foster academic development through pre-defined curricula. Academic achievement is not a goal at these schools. Instead, they focus on creating a safe and nurturing environment in which students feel empowered to follow their natural curiosities. They trust that by being so supported students will continue to be the natural, life-long, responsible learners they were born into being.
HOMESCHOOLING
A growing number of parents are choosing to homeschool their children. Many states recognize and support homeschooling and provide public school district support. In most areas where homeschooling thrives, centers exist to provide instruction and resources. With the growing use of technology in education and the availability of entire curricula online, homeschooling is becoming increasingly common. It allows flexibility and the possibility of meeting every learners unique needs and interests. Learning can be real, hands-on, apprenticeship based and multi-age for homeschoolers.