# School sector

**Should we choose public, private or religious school?**

What kind of school you choose: neighborhood public, public school of choice, charter, or private. Religious schools exist but are outside the scope here.

In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Neighbourhood public; Public school of choice; Charter (US); Secular private (religious schools exist as a category and are out of scope). Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: preschool.

- Area: School and academics
- Evidence: Your call
- Best settled: Preschool
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/school-and-academics--school-sector

## School sector: what are the options?

1. **Neighbourhood public**: The child attends the local public school assigned by address.
2. **Public school of choice**: The child attends a different public school you apply to, such as a magnet or specialty program.
3. **Charter (US)**: The child attends a publicly funded school run independently of the district.
4. **Secular private (religious schools exist as a category and are out of scope)**: The child attends a non-religious school that charges fees.

## School sector: what does the evidence say?

**Your call.** No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.

Private advantage mostly reflects family background; charters show modest average gains, larger in cities

Sources:

- [CREDO](https://ncss3.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Credo-NCSS3-Report.pdf)

## What else is worth knowing?

Schools differ in who runs them, who pays and who can attend. Public schools are free and assigned by address; some places offer choice programs or charter schools; private schools charge fees. What is available depends heavily on where you live.

## Questions to ask each other

- What do we want from a school?
- What do we think the differences are between public and private?
- What would we sacrifice to get the school we want?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=school-and-academics&topic=school-and-academics--school-sector