What is the best school for your child?

If you live in Nashville TN, you already know that some of the schools here rank among the top in the country.
You may be lucky enough to live near one of the good public schools, and happy for your child to go there. But if not, or if your child is not doing so well at his or her public school, here is the result of my research into the private schools of Nashville, to help you find the best one for your child.

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Public Or Private School?

Private schools can offer significant advantages for your child. 

We know that private school students in grades 4, 8 and 12 score well above the national average in reading, math, science and writing. (National Center for Education Statistics.)

What's more, students from private schools are consistently shown to have a real edge in getting into college and completing a degree, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

But doing well in national achievement tests is only part of the story. Private schools will generally offer a more interesting and challenging learning environment that helps promote independent thinking and critical reasoning skills for your child, as well as encouraging participation in sports, music and arts to provide well-rounded development of a full range of skills.

Private schools have other advantages too. Whether or not they have a religious affiliation, private schools invariably put more emphasis on imparting values to their students, including social and environmental responsibility, ethical behaviour, respect for others, self-discipline and community involvement.

And unfortunately in this era of increasing school violence, we need to consider the safety of our children and the value of a stable environment in promoting their well-being and development - something much more likely to be found at a private school.

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