Academics · Subject Resources

District, charter
or private, side by side

The three kinds of school differ in who pays, how you get a seat, what they must publish and what support they owe a child who needs it. Weigh those for your family, rate each school you are considering and see where each one lands.

Start a comparisonWhat you get

Comparisons

The worked example is made up: a district school, a charter with a lottery and a private school with a strong fit but a high cost, for third grade. Use initials or a code for the child.

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What you get

Academics · Subject ResourcesFree

What you finish with
A saved comparison per decision: how much cost, getting a seat, public reporting, support and fit matter; each school rated 1 to 5 with its yearly cost and class size; seven questions marked answered or still to ask; and a next step. The flags rank the schools by a score out of 100, flag a must-have rated 2 or lower and show the cost gap over six years. A side-by-side table prints.
Who it is for
Parents and guardians weighing district, charter and private schools, in any grade.
Format
Browser tool with a saved record per decision. Prints a side-by-side table with the scores, the full record, every comparison in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Subject Resources space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Set how much each thing matters.
  2. Add one school of each kind you are considering.
  3. Rate each one after a visit.
  4. Ask the questions still open.
  5. Print the side-by-side table.

Start a comparison

How the three kinds differ

Three kinds of school, in general termsDistrictCharterPrivateTuitionNoneNoneUsuallyGetting inBy addressOpen; lottery if fullSchool decidesRun bySchool districtBoard under a charterPrivate board or ownerState report cardYesYesUsually notIEP rightsFullFullLimited, via districtThree kinds of school, in general termsTuitionDistrict: NoneCharter: NonePrivate: UsuallyGetting inDistrict: By addressCharter: Open; lottery if fullPrivate: School decidesRun byDistrict: School districtCharter: Board under a charterPrivate: Private board or ownerState report cardDistrict: YesCharter: YesPrivate: Usually notIEP rightsDistrict: FullCharter: FullPrivate: Limited, via district
Rules vary by state. Check your state education department for how charters enroll and what private schools must report.

Charter schools are public schools

A charter school is a tuition-free public school run by its own board under a contract, or charter, with an authorizer. It is open to any eligible student; when more families apply than there are seats, it usually admits by lottery. Charter schools take state tests and appear on the state report card, and they must serve students with disabilities.

Private schools and special education

When parents choose a private school, the child does not keep an individual right to a free appropriate public education there. The local district must still find and evaluate children and spend a share of its federal money on services for them, but the services may be limited. A private school that takes federal money is covered by Section 504, and most are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sources

  1. National Center for Education Statistics. Fast Facts: Charter schools, and Private School Universe Survey (nces.ed.gov).
  2. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Questions and Answers on Serving Children with Disabilities Placed by Their Parents in Private Schools (sites.ed.gov/idea).
  3. U.S. Department of Education. Every Student Succeeds Act: state and local report cards (ed.gov).
  4. U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Protecting Students with Disabilities: Section 504 FAQ (ed.gov/ocr).

The worked example and its schools are made up. The table describes the three kinds of school in general terms; enrollment, reporting and funding rules vary by state. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.