Every parent wants to do what's best for their children, and that starts with the best education that you can give them. Whether that means public school or private school depends on the family and other factors, like the area that you live in, but it's helpful to have the choice to send your child to whatever type of school you believe is best for them. However, many parents don't believe that they do have a choice – they assume that private school is too costly and out of reach for them. If you're really interested in private school for your child, though, there are some strategies that you can use, beyond clipping coupons and working overtime, to help fit the cost of private schooling into your budget. Take a look at some surprising strategies that can help.
Move to an Average School District
Though it's not universal, one common feature of expensive neighborhoods is that they tend to be in close proximity to some of the best public schools available. It's easy to understand why – school districts are funded by the local tax base, so the people that can afford the most expensive homes can also afford to pay the taxes that fund high-quality schools. In lower income areas, the schools have less funding, which can reduce the quality of educations students receive.
Many people struggle to afford homes in high-income areas precisely because they want their children to have access to great public schools. But if your children go to private school, the quality of public schools in your district shouldn't matter – and in some cases, it may be cheaper to live in an average neighborhood with average schools and pay private school tuition than it is to live in a high-end neighborhood and use free public schools. A hypothetical scenario that demonstrates this concept shows that it's possible for a private-school family to spend $53,000 less than a public-school family over the course of a child's kindergarten through 12th grade education, thanks to the difference in housing costs between an average and an above-average school district.
Don't Save For College
If you're the kind of parent who is considering private school, there's a good chance that you also consider a college education important, and consider it your duty to save for that. But if you can't afford both private school and saving for college, what takes precedence? Don't automatically assume that college savings should get to be the priority over K-12 tuition.
The fact of the matter is that there are many ways to pay for college, including loans. There are fewer options to help pay for a student to attend private school. What's more important? At the right school, your child may get better test scores and grades, which could net them an academic scholarship. They may have more options for extracurricular activities, arts, and sports, which could increase their chances of earning college scholarships based on those things. They may be able to make contacts which can improve their chances of being accepted into the college that they most want to attend, which can make your child more motivated to find their own ways to pay for their higher education. And there are always student loans. Taking on college debt might not be your idea of the ideal situation, but at that point, it will be up to your child. You'll have done your part by giving them the best possible start in their kindergarten through 12th grade years.
The decision between private and public school, and the decisions about how to pay for it, are different for every family. There's no one right answer for everybody. But don't be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to making the educational choices that are best for your children.
