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Public v. PrivateThe decision about whether a child should be educated in a private or a public school can depend upon several factors. Educational Needs City versus Suburbs 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. Parental Preference Back to Top |
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