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5 Mistakes Parents Make When Choosing A ²ÝÁñÉçÇø School

Choosing the right private school for your child is a lengthy process. I want you to achieve the success that you deserve without making these common mistakes other parents have made.

1. Choosing a school that is not a good fit

You know your child better than anybody. Never forget that as you begin the processof choosing a school for your child. As you look at school websites, don't be distracted by those beautiful, professionally-produced presentations. Schools will show you what they want you to see. That's not a bad thing; however, those websites may not necessarily address your specific needs and requirements. Many times, while researching schools, you will receive false positives. It's hard not to be impressed by beautiful photos of a campus and its buildings, particularly if it is an older school with impressive grounds and architecture. But don't let cosmetics take your attention away from what is truly important, namely, the curriculum, the sports programs, and the extracurricular activities. Always ask yourself, "How does School X blend these three important components so my child will benefit from attending this school?"

As Geri Coleman Tucker wisely observes in , "Sure, you want to pick a school that is clean and attractive, with all the newest technology. But remember that looks aren’t everything. Some schools might not have the latest and greatest equipment. But they

The made many changes which impact charities and not-for-profit organizations such as private schools. Large private schools have expert tax advice at their disposal, as well they should. However, small private schools may not have a fulltime accountant on their staff. The point of this article is to encourage the administrators and trustees of small schools to discuss The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 with tax and legal professionals at their earliest opportunity. These small schools need to understand what impact the new tax code has on their operations.

Here then are five items which I offer as talking points for your discussions.

1. The Impact On Charitable Giving

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – What Nonprofits Need to Know by Sandra Cyr in Philanthropy Journal News offers some insight into how the Tax Act might impact charitable giving. I use the verb "might" advisedly, because it is too soon as of this writing in July 2018 to know what the real impact on charitable giving will be. We will have a better idea about that in the spring of 2019. In the meantime, I suggest that you discuss giving with your board and try to develop a realistic plan. Don't assume that giving will stay the way it has been. Assume that it will change and be prepared for that change.

2.

A Parent’s Guide to ²ÝÁñÉçÇø School Entrance Exams

There are many reasons why a private, independent, or boarding school could be an excellent option for your child.

• ²ÝÁñÉçÇø schools typically offer thrilling academic challenges, extensive STEM or arts programs, or other remarkable resources.
• Their student-teacher ratios are low.
• Their faculty usually have advanced academic degrees and strong professional reputations.

About 10 percent of students attend private schools nationwide.

• ²ÝÁñÉçÇø school admissions tend to be selective and in many cases competitive.
• To help distinguish applicants who meet admission standards, private schools use standardized testing.
• The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) and Secondary School Admissions Exam (SSAT) are the most commonly used admissions tests for private, independent, and boarding schools.
• The High School Placement Test (HSPT) is often used by Catholic schools for entrance into grade 9.

The ISEE and SSAT are long multiple-choice tests lasting 2-3 hours and potentially covering above-grade-level content.

• For the 4^th grader applying to a private middle school, this might be the first time they have undergone two hours of solid testing with only one or two short breaks.
• The best starting point is always to have your student take a full-length diagnostic test.
• It’s important to know where your child is starting from so that you can help them get to where they need to be.

This video offers an overview of the ISEE private school standardized admissions test.

Scholarship Tax Credit ProgramsSchool choice has been a fact in American K-12 education since 1989. That year the State of Wisconsin passed a voucher program which aimed to help students from low-income families in Milwaukee. Since then 39 states have established school choice programs. Depending on the state, school choice programs have expanded to include educational savings accounts, tax credit scholarships, and individual tax credit/deduction which parents can use to send their children to a private school.

Most states also allow parents to transfer their children from underperforming public schools to higher-performing public schools. In addition, many states have permitted the establishment of charter schools as one more alternative to an underperforming public school. Because allocating taxpayer funding to educational resources other than public schools is controversial, numerous legal challenges have been filed. Depending on the state, you will see a variety of workarounds including the afore-mentioned educational savings accounts, tax credit scholarships, and individual tax credits/deductions.

According to the American Federation for Children, the following states now have some form of funding for school choice program. In fact, several states offer several educational choice options. For the latest information https://www.federationforchildren.org/

Other resources include Noodle which has assembled a useful to the various educational choice