Why Should I Consider Sending My Child to Private School?

This is a time for deciding what means the most to you and your student as you plan for their academic growth, spiritual development and a lifetime of faith, achievement, service and personal success.

Let’s face it: when it comes to secondary education, those four years are critical not only in your child’s growth and development, but in building a strong foundation for their future – college, careers, even family life. Do you want an environment for your student where they can develop intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually – and if they choose, athletically and artistically? That’s what you’ll find in a first-rate private school, along with smaller class sizes, advanced curriculum, robust extracurriculars, increased safety, dedicated teachers – and a connected, values-based community.

And when school feels more like a community, students can feel safer, more comfortable, and more passionate about learning.

Private schools are often equipped to provide increased opportunities for advanced and specialized studies – with an intellectually challenging curriculum bolstered by individual instruction, culturally enriching visual and performing arts, diverse world languages, the latest technology and a values-based worldview to prepare students for a life of service and honor. This holistic approach to academic and personal development allows for the formation of the whole person and provides a roadmap to future success. It also helps create the kind of candidate desired by top colleges today.

“Ninety percent of private high school graduates attend college, compared to 66 percent of public high school graduates.” – The Council for American Private Education (CAPE), www.capenetwork.org.

Unlike most public schools, private schools offer smaller class sizes – and increased individual attention – to foster learning, confidence and personal development. Students are not a number; they are a valued member of the community. Studies have shown that smaller class sizes and teacher involvement lead to increased academic success for students. According to U.S. News and World Report, “Reducing class sizes has long been championed as a way to improve outcomes for students…The research is crystal clear that smaller classes lead to better student outcomes in every single way that can be measured.” (Does Your Child’s Class Size Matter? August, 29, 2022)

Students attend private schools because they – or their families – want to be there. They have chosen to study and grow in a selective, rigorous and supportive environment surrounded by like-minded people. The bonds formed during these years are those that matter and last for life. Connected by common values, shared experiences and honored tradition, students become part of something meaningful, important and treasured.

“If you want a caring, challenging, nurturing, safe and secure environment for your child – a community where he/she can learn and succeed – consider a private school.” – The Council for American Private Education (CAPE), www.capenetwork.org

Many private schools are religiously affiliated, and as such, reflect the moral and ethical teachings of a church tradition. Parents who share in this faith often want these same values-based underpinnings included in their child’s development as well. In schools such as these, you’ll often find faith in practice and action, service components, and reflective retreats and activities to help develop a student’s internal life and compass.

“Studies show that Catholic school students outperform public school students in overall academic scores. However, Catholic education goes much further than this by striving to educate the whole student. The chief philosophy of Catholic education is to teach students to live a life of service for others.” – Fulcrum Foundation, www.fulcrumfoundation.org

According to U.S News and World Report, “Private School vs. Public School,” (9/15/21), “Research has consistently shown that private school students tend to perform better in standardized tests. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is often referred to as “the nation’s report card,” assesses both public and private school students in subjects such as math, reading, science and writing. The most recent NAEP data shows what other research has found: Private school students score better in almost all subjects.

On college entry tests such as the SAT, NAIS found that students in private schools consistently out-performed their public school peers in all subject areas”.

At St. Thomas High School, a Roman Catholic college preparatory school for young men in grades 9-12 in Houston, Texas, we are focused on educating and enriching outstanding young minds during the most formative years of their lives. Through high-tech classrooms and state-of-the-art athletic facilities to the constant celebration of its rich and storied tradition, the diverse and welcoming St. Thomas community prides itself on providing the most fulfilling and well-rounded high school experience to inquisitive, ambitious and extraordinary young men. We foster a brotherhood for life.