Public v. Private

The decision about whether a child should be educated in a private or a public school can depend upon several factors.

Educational Needs
Children with more substantial learning difficulties can often benefit from the generally smaller classes and teacher attention available in a private school setting. Parents should be aware, however, that private schools are not legally required to provide accommodations or services to students with learning disabilities and many “main stream” private schools will not welcome students with complex learning needs. On the other hand, private schools for students with learning issues can often provide excellent support and education for such students, although in a restricted environment.

City versus Suburbs
The choices, or lack of choices, available in your public schools may influence the decision to explore private schools as an alternative to the public system.

The sheer size of the New York City school system provides a wide array of schools and school programs within a public system. While there are restrictions about what schools a student may attend, there is also some parental choice, particularly on the secondary level. And there are some excellent sources of information, including a website maintained by Inside Schools. There is also a series of books by Clara Hemphill on the best public elementary, middle and high schools in New York City. Check out her books for elementary school, middle school and high school.

New York City parents should also be aware that as a result of litigation they have certain rights to private school placement that are not available to suburban parents. This process is called a “Nickerson Letter”, after the judge who heard the case.

Suburban school districts cannot offer the array of schools or programs that can be found in a large urban district. Generally, students can attend their local school or perhaps, in certain cases, another of the several schools within their home district. And suburban and rural counties within New York (including Western Suffolk; Eastern Suffolk; Nassau County; and Southern Westchester) participate in district wide programs provided by their Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) which often offer special education services of varying quality as well as services for students whose problems are not primarily related to learning disabilities.

If you decide to place your child in a private school that is not on the approved list, you may be entitled to reimbursement for the cost of that school. This procedure is discussed in the parent guides we recommend in our Getting Started section. This process, often referred to as “Carter funding” or a "Carter case" after the United State Supreme Court Case which first granted this funding, is not for the faint of heart. It is a reimbursement process, which means that you need to first pay the tuition (although sometimes schools will make special payment arrangements) and then seek to have it reimbursed by your school district. There are agencies and attorneys equipped to handle this very technical area. We suggest you use one.

Parental Preference
Some parents prefer the support, services or philosophy of a private school setting to best address the issues that their child faces. All parents have the right to place any child, whether or not that child may have special needs, in any school of the parents’ choice. The issue is one of economics; who will pay for this education?

Back to Top