Keeping It Private

At San Jose Episcopal Day School, which serves kindergartners through sixth-graders, the kids are clamoring to take Latin. Yes, Latin. Once a cornerstone of a classical education, Latin instruction had in recent years all but disappeared from secondary schools, and few mourned its decline.

But after the fall of the Roman Empire, it rose again three years ago at the highly regarded Jacksonville parochial school, which has 410 students and a waiting list.

"We were among the first schools to reinstate Latin," says Rev. Jean Dodd, head of San Jose Episcopal. "But we teach it a new way—we talk about the roots of words and the mythology. It's fun, and a lot of kids now say that Latin is their favorite course."

Plus, Dodd notes, the foundation provided by the study of Latin has helped boost San Jose Episcopal's verbal standardized test scores well past the 90th percentile.

Those are the kinds of experiments you're able to try when you're an independent school unencumbered by a massive bureaucracy, notes Dodd, who adds that her school and others like it "are free to be academically challenging and teach intellectual curiosity and critical thinking all day long."

Private education is thriving in Northeast Florida, where in Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County alone more than 100 parochial and secular schools compete for students.

The numbers tell a compelling story. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 10 percent of students across the country attend private schools. In Duval, however, the figure is closer to 14 percent. What's more, 20 percent of all Duval high school students attend private schools, the highest ratio among Florida's 67 counties.

Why? Disdain for the public school system isn't the entire answer. In fact, Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County boasts two of Newsweek's ten best public high schools in the nation—Stanton Preparatory School and the Paxon School for Advanced Studies. And in Duval's neighboring counties, St. Johns and Clay, public schools across the board are known for high test scores and strong parental involvement.

"Jacksonville families choose independent schools for the value they receive in quality instruction, for high standards in student conduct and achievement and for a safe, nurturing learning environment," says Douglas A. Walker, director of admissions and enrollment management at The Bolles School, a nationally known day and boarding school founded in 1933.

Is private school right for your child? Maybe, maybe not. Sorting it all out requires research and persistence.

Although the Florida Department of Education requires "nonpublic" schools to respond to an annual survey, the state doesn't license, approve, accredit or regulate these schools. In fact, the only requirement for operating a private school is obtaining a local business license.

Still, private schools must compete for students. Therefore, they have an incentive to retain the best teachers, to earn accreditations and to cultivate high-performing students and satisfied parents.

Consequently, there are a number of factors to keep in mind when considering the public vs. private education option for your children, among the most important of which is accreditation.

Most colleges require that an applicant's diploma come from an accredited high school, public or private. And if regional accreditation is specified, then the school must be approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which is the accrediting body for all public schools and universities in 11 Southeastern states.

The organization, one of only six regional accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, evaluates academic programs, extracurricular activities, staff qualifications and financial stability, among many other factors.

Jacksonville private schools earning SACS accreditation include Bishop Kenny High School, Episcopal High School, Riverside Presbyterian Day School, St. Johns Country Day School and The Bolles School.

In addition to SACS, 45 other authorities offer accreditation to private schools in Florida. While some impose stringent standards, others mandate little more than payment of dues.

Including SACS, there are just 11 accreditation organizations officially recognized by the Florida Association of Academic Nonpublic Schools—also known as FAANS—the largest of which is the Florida Council of Independent Schools. The council, which represents more than 77,000 students in 158 member schools, uses criteria similar to SACS and evaluates only secular private schools.

How about academics? It's important to remember that in private schools, no particular academic program is mandated by the state. Therefore, successful placement of graduates in the next level of schooling can provide important information.

So, when investigating a private high school, ask for a senior class profile, which should indicate what colleges have accepted students from the school.

You'll also want to know whether the school's curriculum is primarily college preparatory or vocational and how many Advanced Placement courses are offered. Likewise, the guidance program is important in providing college selection and application assistance.

And remember: Private school teachers are not required to be state certified. So you'll want to find out what qualifications the school expects for its instructors. Do all teachers hold four-year college or university degrees? Does the school provide continuing education programs for its teachers?

Other important factors to consider: Admission procedures, tuition policies (nearly 20 percent of private school students nationwide receive financial assistance), student-teacher ratios (the average for private schools is 15 to 1) and admissions-applications ratios (4 to 1 or higher indicates that the school is very competitive.)

Finally, talk to your friends and neighbors who have children in private schools. And visit whichever schools seem to meet your requirements.

"There's no substitute for a personal visit," says Katherine Ford, executive director of FAANS. "Look for strong leadership. Is the school generally clean? Evaluate the appearance and the attitude of the students. Are they ready and willing to answer your questions?"