It is estimated that there were nearly 1 million students enrolled in private schools in the United States in 2018. Since that time, the numbers have increased, proving that private institutions are becoming more popular. If you have children, you may be wondering why these academic programs are gaining in popularity, and if this education is right for your child. Here are a few reasons private schools are gaining in popularity.
Studies Continue to Show Higher Test Scores for Students
One of the biggest reasons why private institutions have continued to gain in popularity is because study after study backs up the fact that students at a private or prep school tend to score better on tests compared to those who are receiving a public education. Test scores help to show that students understand concepts and can answer questions about those concepts, so scoring well is an indicator of the quality of education that a student may be receiving. It’s also a great indicator of future success.
Classroom Sizes Are Typically Smaller
Another reason why prep schools are becoming more popular is because most institutions have smaller student-to-teacher ratios. Public schools have been having trouble finding and retaining teachers, and as such, classroom sizes have increased. It can be hard to teach students equally with high student-to-teacher ratios.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Pushed More People to Private Schools
Strangely enough, the COVID-19 pandemic does have something to do with the popularity of these private programs. Many public and state-run/funded institutions went to online learning models during the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of parents disagreed with this, and in turn, enrolled their children in private or prep schools to continue in-person learning. This had a huge impact on the enrollment numbers in public and private education.
Over the past few years, private programs have increased in popularity and the number of people enrolling their children in these programs continues to grow. This is in part thanks to higher test scores, smaller classroom sizes, and many public schools being closed for prolonged periods of time during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are thinking about enrolling your child into private education in the Bellevue area, we invite you to tour our campus. Call to set up an appointment.
