Is Private School Really Worth It?
Deciding where to send your child to school can be difficult, especially if you are trying to choose between public schools and private schools. You might be wondering if enrolling your child in a private school would make that big of a difference in their life. After all, from an outside perspective, private schools can appear to just be smaller schools that cost more money and require students to wear uniforms. However, there is a lot more to them than those things.
Sending your child to a private Christian school gives them the opportunity to create a foundation for their faith. Building this foundation doesn’t just stop at elementary or middle school. Enrolling your child in a private high school in Tampa FL will provide a continued space for growth in their faith to prepare them for college and beyond.
Is private school right for your child?
Though we believe that private school is worth it, how much of a positive difference it makes for students depends on a few factors.
It depends on the family. Some children may benefit more from attending a private school than others. This is especially true for students from Christian families. Unlike most public schools, Christian schools in Tampa FL have character development lessons incorporated into their curriculums. Additionally, the teachers have the opportunity to teach about God, so these lessons are often faith-based. Enrolling your child in a private Christian school provides them with the opportunity to learn and develop in an environment that encourages living how God has called us to live. This stands true for high school-aged students as well. We recommend looking for private high schools in Tampa FL so that your child can continue to grow their faith into adulthood.
It depends on the school. It is important to find a private school that lines up with your families values and priorities. When evaluating different private schools, we suggest that you ask about their beliefs about things such as teaching methods and behavior management strategies, as well as about their doctrine of faith. Attending private school may be the right choice for your child, but finding the right private school can greatly impact how “worth it” it is to send them there.
Christian schools in Tampa FL
Bayshore Christian school is a private Christian school in Tampa FL with a vision to shape young people in Christ to make an impact on the world. We offer curriculum for pre-K up through 12th grade. Contact us, today, if you are searching for a private Christian school for your child. We might be the perfect fit for you!
What is the Difference Between a Public school and a Christian School?
There are a lot of differences between public schools and Christian schools. One of the main things that all Christian schools have, including Tampa FL Christian schools, that public schools do not have is the freedom to incorporate God and Christianity into their lessons. Other differences include curriculum, class sizes and cost.
Freedom to talk about God
The biggest difference between public schools and Christian schools is the ability for teachers to teach about God in their lessons. In public schools, teachers are not allowed to teach using their own religious beliefs. However, in private Christian schools, they are allowed and even encouraged to teach about God in the classroom.
Freedom to choose a different curriculum
Public schools are required to teach using a curriculum mandated by the department of education. There are certain lesson objectives and topics that every public school has to cover, and teachers have little freedom to deviate from those topics or how to teach them. Each private Christian school, however, has the freedom and autonomy to choose what curriculum they teach. Not every Christian school in Tampa FL uses the same curriculum or uses the same teaching style. They are able to deviate from each other, as well as from the required public school lessons and topics.
Tuition and fees
Public schools do not require a tuition payment and only have small fees for things like extracurricular activities. This is because they are funded by the government and receive tax money. Christian schools are private, and therefore do not receive any support from the government. Because of this, students who enroll pay tuition and fees.
Inclusion of character education
Throughout childhood and adolescence, children are learning not only about subjects like math and English, but they are also learning about who they are and what kind of person they want to be. Christian schools have the freedom to aid in that development. Many private school curriculums will incorporate character development into their lessons to help students learn about things like creating good habits and using manners.
Smaller class sizes
The average public school in Florida has 25 students per class. This is usually per one teacher, and sometimes the schools are so overcrowded that they have to add more students. In contrast, Tampa FL Christian schools have an average class size of 19 students, and sometimes there is more than one teacher in the classroom.
A more personalized education
Christian schools are able to provide a more personalized education because of the smaller class size. Teachers are able to get to know students on a deeper level in order to aid students in areas that they need. Students are also able to get to know their peers better and create stronger connections in Christian schools compared to in public schools.
Christian schools in Tampa FL
Are you looking to enroll your child in a private Christian school in Tampa FL? We might be the school for you! Bayshore Christian school has programs for grades pre-K to 12th grade.
Contact us, today, if you have any more questions about the difference between public schools and Christian schools, or if you are interested in enrolling your student at Bayshore!
Why Do Private Schools Cost So Much?
One of the most noticeable differences between public schools and private schools is the cost to attend. For public schools, there are no tuition payments, and you typically only pay fees if your child participates in extracurricular activities. In contrast, private schools have a required tuition and fees for each student enrolled.
This is because private schools are responsible for directly paying all of their teachers, faculty and administrative staff, unlike public schools who receive funding from the government and tax-money. Whether you’re looking for a private preschool in South Tampa or a South Tampa middle school, it is important to know how your money is being spent.
Tuition
One thing private schools have in common is that most of their proceeds go towards payroll of teachers. Public school teachers are paid by the government, so the schools are not directly responsible for paying their staff. Private schools, on the other hand, are required to pay their staff and do not receive funding or tax money from the government. Therefore, they require a tuition payment from students to cover teacher salaries.
Fees
Private schools are also responsible for paying other faculty and administrative staff. The fees that you pay for your child when they are enrolled help pay these employees. Some of these fees that you might be required to pay are:
- Admission fees
- Application fees
- Acceptance fees
- Testing fees
- Extracurricular activity fees: these fees are only for students who participate in these activities such as athletic fees and performing arts fees
- Curriculum fees
- Other: fees for other services, such as before and after school care and field trips, that are optional.
Additional funding
Though most of the money you pay to send your child to private school goes towards paying the staff, it is used in other areas as well. Some of these things include:
- Campus improvement. When areas on campus need to be fixed or upgraded, such as classrooms or playground equipment, private schools are directly responsible for coming up with the money to fund these improvements because they do not receive tax money.
- School provided technology. Many public South Tampa middle schools and high schools have devices, such as laptops or tablets, available that students can borrow for the day or share with their peers. In contrast, most private schools provide students with their own devices that they can use and take home while they are a student enrolled at the school. Technology is expensive, and therefore some of the fees that you are paying will go towards those items.
- Profit. Bayshore Christian school is a nonprofit Tampa FL Christian school. However, other private schools may be for profit. This is something that we recommend you look for and consider when deciding what private school is best for your child and your family.
Private Christian Schools in Tampa FL
Bayshore Christian School is a Tampa FL Christian school that provides education to students grades pre-K to 12th grade. If you are looking for a nonprofit, fairly inexpensive Christian private school, we may be the school for you.
Contact us, today, if you have any additional questions about our tuition and fees, or if you would like to enroll your student and join our community.
Are Private Schools Safer?
Safety is an important factor to take into consideration when deciding where to send your child to school. As school disturbances become more prevalent in the U.S., safety at school is a primary concern. If you are looking for a private Christian school in Tampa FL, you might be wondering if private schools are safer than public schools. In terms of campus security, they are about the same. However, we believe that there are other features of private schools that create a safer environment for the students, faculty and staff.
Campus security
In terms of campus security, public and private schools are usually about the same when it comes to safety. Both take the similar precautions, which include:
- The use of security cameras
- Locking the gates during school hours
- Limiting visitors and requiring them to check in before they enter campus
Sometimes, public schools and private schools also have resource officers. However, this is not true of all schools and varies based on location and availability.
Safety in smaller schools
As a private Christian school in Tampa FL, we believe private schools are safer in the way that teachers at private schools tend to be are more aware about what is going on throughout the school. This is because class sizes are smaller, as is the student population as a whole. Students tend to have a better relationship with their teachers at private schools because of the smaller class sizes. On account of these differences, it is easier for teachers to recognize when a student is acting different, due to factors such as mental health and drug use.
Furthermore, the closeness of the teachers and the student body creates a community that allows everyone to be noticed. Often times, we see dangerous situations play out on school campuses that are influenced by a child feeling like an outcast or unnoticed by their peers. By making each child feel seen, private schools have the ability to greatly reduce these scenarios.
Private high schools in Tampa FL
Safety is a great concern in schools, especially in high schools. Bayshore Christian School is a Pre-K through 12th grade private Christian school, and the safety of our students is one of our top priorities. If you are looking for a private high school in Tampa FL, we may be the school for you.
Contact us, today, if you have more questions about safety in our school, or if you are interested in enrolling your student into one of our programs. We would love to welcome you and your family into our community!