| In any part of the country, the choice between | | | | The private schools of Atlanta are not as well |
| private and public education is a tough one. The | | | | represented. They have no cohesive system to |
| Atlanta Schools are no different in this respect. | | | | represent them and so each is unique. However, |
| Parents have debated the positive and negative | | | | there are many additional things to take into account |
| aspects of each side for many years. On the one | | | | when considering a private school. The tuition is often |
| hand, private Atlanta Schools often provide a more | | | | the foremost issue on a parent's mind. Some Atlanta |
| rigorous environment and pay attention to the | | | | Schools cost up to 12,000 dollars annually. Teachers |
| progress of specific students. Public Atlanta Schools | | | | are well paid and often held to a higher standard than |
| are an entirely different thing. Students can be | | | | educators at a public school. That isn't a blanket rule, |
| exposed to many different ideas and people. There is | | | | but it is a safe assumption. There is also a noticeable |
| more freedom and personal responsibility to maintain | | | | variation in curriculum. For instance, many private |
| grades. Each choice could potentially be perfect. | | | | schools in Atlanta have strong religious affiliations. |
| Parents in Atlanta Schools have a difficult decision. | | | | Bible study courses may be offered and are perhaps |
| In public Atlanta Schools there is a policy that states | | | | a requirement. Extensive religious philosophy classes |
| "Our focus…student success". This implies that | | | | are another interesting possibility. |
| the system is concerned with the individual, in | | | | The biggest difference between Atlanta Schools can |
| keeping with the No Child Left Behind Act. There are | | | | be summarized in two words: overall experience. It |
| many programs in effect that indicate how the public | | | | may sound like a vague term, but there is no denying |
| Atlanta Schools are attempting to address individual | | | | the fact that private Atlanta Schools and public |
| needs. Individual teachers on a weekly basis can be | | | | Atlanta Schools provide diverse experiences. There |
| found teaching the numerous after school programs, | | | | are students from different social standings, |
| the extracurricular study activities and the offering | | | | economic backgrounds and religious roots in public |
| remedial help. This seems to be a public school | | | | school more so than in private schools. The public |
| system well aware of struggling students. Public | | | | school academic education might be more basic, but |
| Atlanta schools have over 51,000 students currently | | | | the various lessons learned are irreplaceable. Atlanta |
| enrolled. Of the eighty-five traditional schools, only | | | | Schools offer more than just choices between public |
| seven have magnet programs. Private schools in this | | | | and private schools. They offer parent the chance to |
| area might provide a better selection of focused | | | | find the perfect match for their child. |
| study than the public schools offer now. | | | | |