Public schools are government-run institutions that provide free education to all children in the United States. While public education is generally free, there are some fees associated with public schools, such as the purchase of books, equipment, and uniforms. These rates vary from state to state and between schools themselves. The high school movement in the early 20th century was unique in the US, with tuition funded by property taxes, openness, non-exclusivity, and decentralization.
However, it is difficult for local communities to operate schools free from bureaucratic control at the state and federal levels. Catholic schools accounted for thirty percent of the total number of private schools, but enrolled forty-eight percent of all private school students. If a student is in one of the lowest quality schools, there is a good reason to send them to a private school in the area. The League of Christian Schools reports that students in private and parish schools do much better on the SAT than students in public schools.
Community and junior colleges also offer trade school and technical career certifications. An important difference between public and private schools is the size of the school and the number of students. To estimate the cost of a good public school, you must compare the cost of neighborhoods associated with that school to the cost of nearby neighborhoods in other school districts. Compare that to the cost of nearby private schools near you.
Both public and private schools often have special programs to support students with learning difficulties. Benjamin Franklin started a new type of high school to meet the demand for more intelligence and skills within the workforce.