Finding the Best Private Preschool for Your Child

While public education is a great option for many parents and their children, some parents choose to send their children to private schools. With 30,861 private schools across the country that serve approximately 5.3 million students from preschool up to high school, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to find the perfect fit for your child — especially when they’re at the preschool age.

Research shows that approximately 5 million children in the United States attend some sort of daily preschool program. Finding a good private preschool that is both affordable and will provide for an enriching experience for your child is every parent’s dream. Here are some tips and tricks for finding a good preschool for your child.

Private Schools: Choosing the Best Preschool that Fits Your Child’s Needs:

• The first thing to do when looking at private schools is to look at location. Ideally, you would want a school fairly close to your home or work where picking your child up wouldn’t be too much of a hassle. If you seem to be having trouble finding ones in your immediate area, try searching online to find the closest schools.
• When searching for preschools, you don’t want to settle on the first one you find. You want to be sure to not only compare things such as the location and hours of the preschool, but you want to get to know some of the teachers. You want to be sure that your child will be taken care of and receiving a very educating, rewarding experience. Don’t be afraid to ask staff members questions about their work experience and what they like about their job.
• Research shows that the majority of private schools — 80%– are religiously affiliated institutions. This can either be a good thing if you practice a certain kind of religion, or it can be a little more difficult if you and your family don’t observe any major religions. There are still non-religious private schools out there; they’re just harder to find. Be sure to use the Internet to look for these kinds of schools if you would not want your child in a religiously-affiliated school.
• There are many benefits of preschool, and you want your child to feel comfortable in their environment. If at all possible, see if you can arrange a “shadow” day for your child to visit the preschool and see if he/she likes it.
• One of the biggest factors that worry parents about private education is the cost. However, many schools are often accommodating to families of lower income status and will be willing to work with you to make sure that you will be able to pay without feeling incredibly pressured.

Have you ever had any experiences trying to find a private preschool for your child? Tell us about it in the comments below!