Private Lessons Programs Offered For Students Who Don’t Attend Public Schools

Dressed in plaid jumpers or blue shorts and white shirts, 2,675 students went back to class Monday at Spokane’s Catholic elementary schools.

They’re part of an estimated 100,000 students in Washington and Idaho attending private schools or being schooled at home this fall.

Still a minority, but a growing one, families who choose private education and home-schooling are making their impact felt.

Six years ago, 92.4 percent of Washington children went to public schools. Now, public schools’ piece of the pie is smaller: 91.4 percent. Home-schooling accounts for much of that decline.

In response, public schools are reaching out to home-school families and private schools to offer special programs for gifted students, disabled students, musicians and athletes who are not officially public school students.

“Many students who are home-schooled end up at public school at some point, often before middle school or high school,” said Spokane School District Superintendent Gary Livingston. “The more we link up with them, the easier that transition will be.”

Parents’ reasons for choosing private education are as varied as the range of private schools.

“God is part of their education. Being able to celebrate the Christian holidays is part of their education,” said Sam O’Doherty, explaining why her children attend All Saints Catholic School in southeast Spokane.

“Discovery School teaches kids how to learn,” said Susan Owens, whose two daughters attend the Spokane non-religious independent school. “They make learning fun. Every June, I have to tell the kids, ‘I’m not Discovery School. You’re going to have to come up with your own activities here.”’

Newcomers from Seattle and California choose private schools because the public schools where they’re from are failing, said Maureen Green, St. George’s School director of admissions.

“But our public schools are really very good here,” Green said. “People have good choices between public and private.”

Other parents believe public schools are going downhill because they’ve turned away from prayer.

Dynamic Christian Academy has grown from 13 students five years ago to 110 students, said Principal Jerry Ray.

The school’s parents, who pay between $1,100 and $1,980 in annual tuition, want Christian values for their children.

“If the public schools were offering what they did 25 years ago, my school definitely would not be running,” Ray said.

Faith Christian School, north of Spokane, turns away some students, not for lack of space, but because they don’t meet the school’s standards, said Principal Anita Utley.

“A lot of people will approach us who are needing a reform school,” she said. “They want us to fix it. We’re really set up for Christian families who want to maintain what they have.”

Rising enrollment has led to a healthy excitement at Spokane Christian Academy, which grew from 93 students two years ago to an expected 121 students, said Principal Darcy Becker.

“It’s just like a business. When a business gets more customers, it’s exciting and things start to happen,” Becker said.

Schools in Spokane’s Catholic Diocese lost students in the mid-1980s as tuitions increased, said Superintendent Duane Schafer. But in 1989, enrollment jumped by 100 students and growth continued every year until last year when it started to flatten out.

“People are starting to recognize, ‘It’s worth the money so I’m going to sacrifice for it,”’ Schafer said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo Graphic: Where the students are