The Differences Among School Types

The New York metro area provides families with a variety of school types, allowing you to choose the best one for your child.

By Katelin Walling

Choosing what school to send your child to in the New York metro area can be a complicated decision, one you agonize over for days or even weeks. To choose the best school for your child, it’s important to first explore the differences among school types—parochial, independent, international, charter, magnet, and homeschools.

We all worry about whether we’re making the best choices in raising our kids, and one thing most of us fret over is whether our children are getting the best education possible that is suited to their needs. In a lot of areas in the country, traditional district public schools may be the only option for kids. But living in the New York metro area, we are blessed with an abundance of choices in addition to great public schools.

While one school option doesn’t necessarily provide a better education than another, each type has pros and cons for every individual family. It’s up to you to determine which school setting best suits your child’s needs. Read on to learn more about the basic differences.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

“The most important concept to get is that a charter school is a public school,” says Ian Rowe, who was the CEO of Public Prep Network from 2010-2020. Public Prep is a system of three nonprofit charter schools in New York City. Charter schools often have a specific focus, one that typically responds to a need articulated by public school families. Public Prep schools, for example, are all single sex (two schools for girls and one school for boys) and have a focus in STEM education.

As with public schools, charter schools are tuition-free, though students must apply for admission. Public Prep currently admits students via a lottery system due to high demand.

Charter schools, though, tend to operate with fewer regulations than traditional public schools and can set their own curriculum. But there is typically an accountability system in which charters are evaluated each year to see if they are meeting the outcomes set by the state, Rowe adds. Plus, there is a renewal process every five years to determine whether the charter is able to continue. “So, there is a much greater accountability in return for the freedoms you have to operate as a charter,” Rowe says.

HOMESCHOOLS

There are numerous motivations for a family to decide to homeschool their children, from religious and health reasons to a child’s learning style, aptitude level, or schedule (think: child actors). There are also numerous options for homeschooling your child. For parents who decide to take the lead in teaching, joining a homeschool community, such as Classical Conversations, may be a good option. Online homeschool programs, such as the George Washington University Online High School, have faculty on board who serve as a child’s teachers.

Parents who decide to homeschool rather than enroll their child in a physical school must submit a letter of intent, an Individualized Home Instruction Plan, and quarterly reports by specific dates, according to the New York City Department of Education.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Also known as private schools, independent schools are funded by tuition and charitable donations as opposed to taxpayer dollars. “It is independently funded for the most part and also independent from the state to a certain degree,” says Scott Nelson, head of school at Rye Country Day School, a college preparatory day school in Rye. “For instance, we don’t follow the NYS testing program (Regents testing program), so we have more independence as far as curriculum choices.”

To enroll in an independent school, students must fill out an application, parents and the student have an interview, and the student must take an entrance exam, either the Independent School Entrance Exam or the Secondary School Admissions Test, according to Nelson.

Though tuition is a factor in attending an independent school, many offer need-based financial aid. For instance, RCDS offers $6.3 million annually to 16 percent of students, Nelson says.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

A second private school option, international schools are typically multicultural and integrate those different cultures into everyday learning. “We have a mix of local New York families and international families who come from anywhere in the world,” says Theresa Bastrup-Hasman, director of admissions and marketing at Nord Anglia International School New York. “We believe in an inclusive and global approach that builds on the strength of a network of 77 schools. Working with global partners, we take an interdisciplinary approach to tackling real-world challenges and integrate world cultures into the curriculum.”

Many international schools are bilingual. Nord Anglia, for example, begins Spanish as a second language for students as young as 2 years old. Children sing songs in Spanish and English, learn colors and seasons in both languages, and become dual language learners from very early on. The school also encourages students to take part in its after-school Mandarin program. “One of the many things I love about our students is that they are so inquisitive and always want to learn more,” adds Bastrup-Hasman, who is also a school parent and has seen how her own children have thrived in its academic environment. “If they have friends from a different part of the world, they always want to learn more about it.”

As with other private schools, international schools have an application process, and some require testing while others do not. Many international schools also offer need-based financial aid. NAISNY offers rolling admission throughout the year.

MAGNET SCHOOLS

Another tuition-free public school option, magnet schools are federally funded by competitive Magnet Schools Assistance Program grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Over the past few years, the NYC DOE has won funding for 37 magnet schools across 15 districts in NYC, says Todd Levitt, who is the NYC DOE MSAP director. Magnet education enables grant-recipient schools to offer all students specialized thematic programs, innovative curriculum, and diversified approaches to teaching and learning, providing staff professional development, partnerships, residencies, supplies and equipment, and the extra funding to support these whole-school programs, Levitt adds.

Each of these 37 schools develop a theme-based program (STEM/STEAM, Architecture, Arts, Civic Leadership, and Global Conservation to name a few). Partnerships, which enhance and support teaching and learning, are tailored to each school’s individual pursuits. Partnership examples include Columbia University, American Ballet Theatre, LEGO, CUNY City Tech, Apple Education, and PBL Works (formerly BIE Project Based Learning). The grants allow magnet schools to have state-of-the-art technology, purchase new art and science supplies, and provide specialty rooms like broadcast studios, horticultural green spaces, and STEAM labs.

Though public schools, these NYC magnet schools have an application process through the NYC DOE Office of Enrollment. There is no screening or testing to apply. For information about open houses, school tours, and applications visit magnetschools.nyc or email info@magnetschools.nyc.

PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS

Catholic schools are private schools that follow a traditional curriculum but with an added religious component. Students enrolled in a Diocese of Rockville Centre school, for instance, are taught in accordance with the New York state learning standards and take the same Regents exams and SAT as public school students, but learning is infused with a religious curriculum directed by the Diocese.

Though the schools in the Diocese are Catholic schools, teach religion courses, and prepare students for their first Holy Communion and Confirmation, not all students practice Catholicism. Those that don’t practice are required to take and pass religion classes but are not required to participate in religious events or sacraments.

DRVC requires applicants to fill out admissions paperwork. Tuition is typically supplemented by the Diocese and the Parish that runs the school.

Elizabeth Winchester contributed to this article.