Private schools are a great option for those looking for an alternative to public education. But what is a private school and how do you pay for it? In this article, we'll explore the definition of a private school, the regulations that govern them, and the various ways to pay for private school tuition in California. A private school is a private company or non-profit entity that offers or provides full-time education with a full complement of subjects at the elementary, middle, or high school level. These schools operate outside the jurisdiction of the California Department of Education (CDE) and most state education regulations.
Private schools do not participate in California's educational responsibility system and are directly responsible to students and their parents or guardians, according to the terms of the private school enrollment agreement. The CDE has no legal authority to regulate or supervise private schools or private education, except to the extent that they apply for NPS certification. The CDE also does not validate private school diplomas, as universities, employers and military branches have complete discretion as to whether credits or diplomas are accepted from private schools. Private high schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges award diplomas that are generally universally accepted. The CDE does not collect any information on the performance of students in private schools or evaluate the teaching programs of private schools. To determine the relative competitiveness of a private school, ask the school's main office how the school measures student performance and request copies of any reports of this information. There are no state programs in California that offer public funding for private school tuition, except when a public school district places a student with a disability in a non-public school.
If a private school does not file an affidavit, the CDE will have no record of this school, and students who attend private school will not be exempt from compulsory public school attendance. Private schools with five or fewer students do not receive a CDS code unless they are a certified NPS. The CDE does not collect or store records, transcripts, or diplomas of private school students. It's important to remember that the affidavit will only have contact information for the year the affidavit was filed. If the school cannot be contacted, due to closure or other instance, records may not be obtainable. California Statutes Do Not Explicitly Authorize Homeschooling.
If a homeschooled child attends a private school and is therefore exempt from attending public school, it is a decision made by local school districts and enforcement authorities. Private school is expensive and generally not tax-deductible. However, tuition-free donations to private school scholarship funds are generally deductible, as private schools are almost universally non-profit organizations. Some private schools refer to themselves as non-profit schools to emphasize the point. Scholarships and external grants are another way to pay for private school. There are many options for families seeking help, although some may be specific to each state or city.
For families who send their children to independent schools, NAIS offers financial aid guidance that could help on this front. Provides partial tuition assistance for low-income families to send their children who are in grades Kindergarten - 8th to private schools. Additional scholarships by state are also listed under Apply: Other Sources of Tuition Assistance. Once the state determined the amount, public schools would need to reduce their operating budgets accordingly, likely through a series of measures, including staff and program reductions. However, participation would likely be less than 100 percent, because some students may be unaware of the program, fail to meet the application deadline, or attend non-participating schools.
To cover the gap, schools may need to make additional reductions or reduce bookings. Other areas regulated by state law include construction requirements for school facilities, budgeting rules, school start times, and the length of the school year and school day. Upon filing the affidavit, private school operators report, under penalty of perjury, school information required by EC Section 33190. If completed and submitted, your online affidavit information immediately enters the CDE database for private schools.
The California Constitution requires the state to organize and fund a system of public schools that provide free education to all students. This amount is generally proportional to the number of students in your attendance area who attend private schools. The effect of this measure on public schools would depend on how the state pays the costs of students currently attending private schools. In some cases, a student would select a private school where tuition and other costs were less than the amount provided by the state.
The size of the change would depend on many factors, including (the number of private schools opening or expanding capacity in response to the measure), (the extent to which private schools....
