Public Schools
For information on the pros and cons of public schools, keep reading. If you would prefer to jump directly to your county's public school web site, use these links: Fayette, Jessamine, Madison, Scott, Woodford.
For information on some unique public school options in Fayette County, click here.
As with any learning institution, there are positives and negatives to be weighed with the public school system. The following is a list of some of the pros and cons to the public school system.
Public School Positives
Public School Positives
- Since public schools are funded by your tax dollars, families pay no formal tuition.
- Public schools offer transportation to and from class sites.
- Opportunities exist for large scale projects, social and academic groups, as well as team sports.
- Attending a neighborhood school can make it easy for your child to develop a network of friends in your area.
- Public schools are continuously testing students and comparing them to national standards, which makes it easy to assess your child's progress.
- Public schools often have better services for assisting students with disabilities.
- Some school districts allow intra-district transfers, meaning you can request that your child attend a different public school in your district.
- Some counties offer specialized schools for gifted students or those wishing to pursue the arts.
- Government funding of school often allows public schools to provide facilities, advanced classes, and equipment not feasible for private or homeschool groups.
- Public schools generally have more ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity.
- These schools expose students to a wider variety of teachers and teaching styles.
- Public schools must follow strict teacher certification rules.
Public School Negatives
- Typically public schools have larger class sizes, sometimes over 30 students per class.
- Curriculum is sometimes outdated.
- Individual student issues (learning or otherwise) may be missed due to the sheer number of students.
- Classes are taught at a mid-level learning, which may cause advanced learners to be bored.
- Public schools offer exposure to differing lifestyles.