Next year, my twins will be entering the ninth grade, their first year of high school. Their grades will soon “count” if they apply to colleges, and the type of high school they attend will also be a considered factor by college admission boards.

I attended a typical public high school, but my husband attended a public magnet high school and a private school for elementary through middle school. We both feel as if we received a good high school education that prepared us for college. However, since we attended different types of high schools, we wanted to explore all the options for our twins. Our different upbringings led to a discussion about what type of high school would be best for our twins. We also are considering if they should attend the same school since they have different needs and personalities.

Before we could answer those questions, we researched all the different types of high schools. Even though I’m focusing on high schools, most of these options are also available in younger grades.

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Types of Schools:

Public Schools

• School Choice: Attend a school outside your district, usually with provided transportation. Selection is typically based on a lottery system.
• Vocational Schools: Offer specific trade or career training programs, such as mechanics, engineering, performing arts, and nursing.
• Vouchers: Issued to students in certain states to pay for private school tuition.
• Tax-Credit Scholarships: Allow people and businesses to pay state taxes to private nonprofit scholarship organizations that issue scholarships to K-12 students.
• Magnet Schools: Highly selective and competitive public schools requiring applications and tests.
• Charter Schools: Independently run public schools with different rules and regulations than typical public schools.

Private Schools

• Require tuition payments and applications. Funded by tuition, endowments, grants, and donations. Some are affiliated with a religion.

Home Schools

• Educate students at home by a parent, tutor, or online program. Regulated by state requirements.

Factors to Consider When Making a Decision

• Cost: Private school tuition averages $10,000 per year. Consider vouchers or tax-credit scholarships if available. Factor in transportation costs for public schools.
• School Size: Smaller class sizes can benefit students who are easily distracted or need more assistance. Private schools often offer smaller classes.
• Learning Style: Hands-on learners may benefit from vocational or charter schools, while competitive students might thrive in magnet schools.
• Friendships: Friends help teens develop their identity. Have your teen visit potential schools to see how they interact with other students and explore social clubs, sports, and activities.
• School Reputation: Compare schools based on graduation rates, spending per pupil, and college readiness using resources like US News and World Reports, GreatSchools.org, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

What Will We Decide?

After my twins receive their grades this year, we will determine if their educational needs are being best served at their current school. We will discuss factors such as class size and learning styles and visit other schools to compare options. Ultimately, we will ask our twins which type of school they would prefer since they will be the ones attending. By being actively involved in their education, we hope any school they attend will help prepare them for college or the workforce.

Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling Psychology degree. She is married and is the mother of twins and a daughter.