Learning Curve

When Park Maitland School planned its annual open house for parents of prospective new students last November, school officials were expecting perhaps 50 people. So imagine their surprise when more than 220 interested parents showed up.

"We were absolutely amazed," says Carol Cappleman, who heads the school. Park Maitland, which opened in 1968, offers pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade classes to 630 students. "We knew we were popular," says Cappleman. "We just didn't know how popular."

Or consider the growth spurt at Windermere Preparatory School, which opened its doors to 187 students in 2000. This school year there are 430 students in pre-kindergarten through ninth grade. An ambitious building program is under way, and when the school phases in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades over the next three years, it will be near its planned capacity of 1,200 students.

"We've grown beyond our wildest expectations," says Laine Allen, president of Windermere Prep's PTA. "Not a day goes by that we don't get new inquiries about enrollment."

Yes, private schools in Central Florida are in a definite boom cycle. Of the region's 516,000 schoolchildren, almost 12 percent are now enrolled in private schools. Just six years ago that figure stood at 9 percent.

There are many reasons why parents are willing to pay thousands of dollars a year for private education. Some make the choice because they want a solid academic program alongside a curriculum that emphasizes religious principles. Others want their children are in classes with smaller teacher-student ratios than public schools offer.

But more and more, parents are saying they want their children attending schools that don't feel constricted by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), which sets statewide standards for student performance and upon which public school grades are based.

"I wanted a school where teachers actually teach, not a school where they're handicapped by state guidelines that tell them exactly what to teach," says Laine Allen, who has a kindergartner and a third-grader at Windermere Prep.

Michael Patterson, father of a 10-year-old daughter at Orlando's Lake Highland Preparatory School, says, "To tell you the truth, I've lost confidence in the ability of public schools to produce students who can think for themselves."

Another factor adding to the private school boom is Florida's voucher program, the largest in the United States. More than 25,000 students have taken advantage of the state's three voucher programs, which were written into law in 1999.

Under the voucher programs, students in consistently underperforming public schools now have the option to transfer to different public schools or to receive vouchers to attend private schools.

Private schools are responding to the increased demand. The number of private schools in Florida increased from 1,603 to 2,231 between 1998 and 2003—almost a 40 percent rise. Central Florida has 391 private schools, with more coming and plenty of building activity on existing campuses.

The 1,800-student Lake Highland Preparatory School, which opened in 1970 and serves pre-kindergarteners through 12th graders, is hoping to buy the nearby North Park Baptist Church to use for its middle school program. Tuition at Lake Highland ranges from about $8,000 per year for pre-kindergarten to $12,500 for grades seven through 12.

Park Maitland School doubled its physical size last year, adding new classrooms for lower grades and building a new art and athletics building at its campus along U.S. Hwy. 17-92. Tuition at Park Maitland ranges from $4,750 a year for pre-kindergartners to $8,850 per year for first through sixth grades. And, like other private schools, it has waiting lists for the 2005-2006 academic year.

"We now advise parents if they want their child to be considered for our K–4 program, they need to get them on the list before they turn 3 years old," says Cappleman.

Cappleman adds that Park Maitland plans to increase its enrollment by 30 students next school year, but won't go beyond the 660-student level because "we refuse to exceed the 1-to-16 teacher-student ratio that makes this school attractive to so many."

Non-secular schools are also growing rapidly. Hebrew Day School, also located in Maitland, is the only school in the region affiliated with the Jewish faith. The school, now with 260 students, opened a new building last year to keep up with demand.

"Parents are interested in religious schools because of what they see happening in society today," says Dr. Zena Sulkes, head of the school. "They want their children to have an education consistent with their own morals and beliefs."

However, Sulkes points out, parents are "seeking a balance." Unless the secular education offered is outstanding, she says, religious affiliations alone aren't enough.

The trend locally reflects what's happening nationwide. The National Association of Independent Schools reports that enrollment at its member institutions has increased 11 percent since 1986, with the biggest increases coming in pre-school (38 percent) and middle school (20 percent).

So, how to decide if private school is the right choice for your child?

Sorting it all out requires research and persistence. Although the Florida Department of Education requires "non-public" schools to respond to an annual survey, the state does not license, approve, accredit or regulate private schools. In fact, the only requirement for operating a private school is obtaining a local business license.

Still, private schools must compete for students and therefore must rely on their academic reputation. That means they have an incentive to retain good teachers, to earn accreditation and to cultivate high-performing students and satisfied parents. Quality, more than price and location, is a private school's main competitive edge.

Most colleges require that an applicant's diploma come from an accredited high school, public or private. And if regional accreditation is not specified, 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.

SACS, 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.

"SACS is one of the most prestigious types of accreditation," says Cheli Cerra, a former Dade County principal and author of Every Parent's Guide to School Choice.

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.

Another fact to 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 a four-year college degree? Does the school provide continuing education programs for its teachers?

High faculty turnover should also raise a red flag. According to Robert Kennedy, a Michigan-based consultant who helps parents choose private schools and guides them through the application and enrollment process, an annual turnover rate of 40 percent or higher generally indicates a poorly run school or an unhappy staff.

Likewise, Kennedy says, find out how long the current head of the school has been on the job.

"If the top position has changed several times in recent years, make it your business to find out why," he says.

When researching academics at a prospective private school, remember that there are no state-mandated academic programs. So ask for a senior class profile, which should indicate what colleges have accepted students from the school.

Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, for instance, regularly advertises the fact that 100 percent of its graduating seniors are accepted at college and often lists big-name institutions such as Harvard, Yale and Northwestern University as their intended destinations.

"That's the number one reason why I sent my sons to Trinity," says Anne Walker, of Maitland. "From the moment they arrive they are geared to high achievement and getting the best possible placement in top colleges and universities."

Finally, talk to 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?"

Most important, decide what's most important for you and your child. Whatever you determine, chances are good that Central Florida has a school that fits the profile.

MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL

Q. Are public schools and private schools given school grades?

A. No. Only public schools participate in the state's grading system.

Q. If a school gets an F, does that automatically mean it's a bad school?

A. Well, an F is a failing grade. But remember, school grades are based in part on raw FCAT scores and in part on how much low-performing students improve from the previous year. Less than expected improvement from these students can impact a school's grade even if many other students do well on their FCATs. A number of other factors, such as having a significant number of students who speak English as a second language, can also impact grades and give a misleading picture of the overall quality of instruction.

Q. What actually happens to an F school?

A. Under rules approved by the state Board of Education, local districts must "declare an emergency" at repeat-F schools so they have the ability to disregard teacher contracts and move more experienced teachers into failing schools. Districts must also end social promotion into F schools, devise Individual Education Plans for students, appoint community oversight boards and close any charter schools that have received two F's.

Q. Can poorly rated schools really improve?

A. Many have. Since the A-Plus Plan for Education was introduced five years ago, the number of F and D schools statewide has plunged from 28 percent to 11 percent. Also, the number of schools receiving A's or B's soared to 66 percent from 21 percent in 1999. Proponents will say the schools are getting better; opponents will say teachers are simply getting more proficient at "teaching to the test."

Q. Is the improvement across the board?

A. No. There are still some schools that steadfastly remain D and F schools, but their numbers are falling. Central Florida schools, as a whole, last year posted more grade improvements than declines. And the overwhelming majority of A-rated schools were able to keep their grades another year. Some critics of the grading system say it can give the impression that all children are failing to learn at low-rated schools. But sometimes slow progress improving scores among underperforming students can offset gains made in other areas. In some cases, schools can drop an entire grade if underperforming students' scores don't improve even if other students' scores have.

Q. What's "No Child Left Behind?"

A. That's a federal program that applies only to elementary and middle schools. It also uses FCAT scores for rating purposes, but focuses only on targeted groups of students—mostly minorities, poor children and learning disabled children. Schools in which such students show "Adequate Yearly Progress" receive federal school-poverty funds. Schools that fail two years in a row—and that would be the vast majority of schools in Florida—must offer transfers or other options. Under the federal standards, only 35 percent of Florida schools met the No Child Left Behind benchmarks in 2004 versus 23 percent last year.