There are so many types of schools to choose from when it comes to selecting an educational institution for your child. But which one is the best match for your student? We compared public, private, charter and magnet schools in the Chattanooga area to give you the benefits, drawbacks and inside information you need to know about each classification to help you decide which way to go in terms of your children’s education.
Public Schools
There are many reasons why parents choose to send their child to a zoned public school. One of the biggest benefits is simply that it is public – anyone and everyone can attend, no matter their income, social status or aptitude.
Curriculums are standardized to ensure students receive an equal education while also emphasizing life skills.
“Public schools implement the four Cs of education,” says Wendy Jung, principal of Harrison Elementary. “Creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking.”
For those who excel or want more of a challenge, public schools in Hamilton County offer honors and advanced placement courses, while special education classes are available to help support the needs of all types of students. Students may also choose dual-enrollment classes offered in conjunction with community colleges to help them graduate with college credits under their belt, providing a cost savings and head start when they transition to higher education. Free or reduced-price lunches for those in need, bus transportation and extracurricular activities are offered to the entire student body at each school so that no student falls short of receiving a well-rounded and free education.
“I have the means to place my child in any school we choose to go to but chose the public schools for the quality of education. We have educators there because they believe in education for everyone,” says Ed Wade, a parent of three children who received their education at McConnell Elementary, Loftis Middle and Soddy-Daisy High. Two of the children have moved on to excel in college, while the youngest is due to graduate from high school in 2021.
“We will always in this world be interacting with people from different races, religion and economic levels, and my kids get to see that diversity in public schools,” Wade adds.
Because public education is government-funded, inadequate funding can sometimes occur, resulting in subpar facilities or programs being cut until the budget can be balanced. In 2017, it was reported that only 24 percent of Hamilton County elementary schools had art teachers and many schools had to exclude certain art programs from their curriculum after teacher cuts.
“The government has their hand in it, so people making the decisions aren’t educators,” acknowledged Soddy-Daisy High School principal Steve Henry.
Soddy-Daisy High, like many other public schools, is in need of updates. Last year, the county reported to have more than $200 million in deferred maintenance repairs. The school lacks an auditorium and doesn’t have the proper athletic accommodations for every sport. The wrestling team has to practice at a location off campus, and the school doesn’t have tennis courts for its tennis team. While school officials are working toward revamping facility amenities and resources, they have to get the green light from the district to proceed with any plans, which can make for slow progress as plans pass through a chain of command.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t progress being made. This year, Hamilton County Department of Education rolled out a targeted effort to equip kids with the skills they’ll need to be successful in the real world – and that doesn’t always come from a book. Recognizing that, the district has plans to install 13 Future Ready Institutes with themes like “First Responders and Forensic Science” and “Institute for Health Careers and Medical Advancement” in area high schools. And, through a partnership with Volkswagen and state entities, eight local middle and high schools received Volkswagen e-Labs last year, with an additional eight set to come online this year. The state-of-the-art spaces give kids access to technology including 3-D printers, robotics, microcomputers, digital design tools and more.
Even younger students, like those at Harrison Elementary, are transitioning to an education model that emphasizes hands-on skills. The school’s STEAM initiative – which stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math – focuses on problem solving, critical thinking and being engaged learners.
“[Students] will be confident problem solvers who work collaboratively and work strategically,” says principal Jung. “They will become vital community members from age 5 to 55.”
The STEAM curriculum implements disciplines such as chemistry, robotics and computer courses into daily classes. Because most kids today start school already knowing basic computer functions, those in kindergarten through second grade are now being introduced to coding, while third- through fifth-graders are working on full-blown coding projects.
>> How to enroll
Hamilton County is transitioning to a paperless student enrollment. To learn more, as well as the steps and paperwork needed, visit hcde.org/parents/online_registration.
Private Schools
Private schools, also called “independent schools” by those in these school communities, are tuition-based and therefore not bound by the same government rules and regulations as the public schools in the district. Usually mission-driven, they can more easily adapt to meet the needs of students without the hassle or rigorous processes that public schools need to follow when attempting to change any policies or procedures, such as adding classes and hiring additional teachers.
“[Private school] is an opportunity for parents to choose a setting that may be better suited to a child’s strengths or weaknesses,” says Notre Dame High School President George Valadie.
With more than 30 private schools in the area, parents can choose to send their child to a school that aligns with the student’s passions, academic aptitude or even religion.
“We teach the whole child: spiritually, academically, physically,” Valadie says.
And that personalized approach seems to pay off. With a student-teacher ratio of 8:1, compared with Hamilton County Schools’ 15:1 average, Girls Preparatory School boasts some impressive statistics in regards to academic achievements:
> 100 percent of GPS graduates attend a four-year college or university.
> 99 percent of recent graduates report that they are thriving in college.
> 100 percent of recent graduates say they were appropriately challenged at GPS.
By comparison, Hamilton County’s public schools received the lowest score possible in student performance in the core subjects by Tennessee Value-Added Assessment Scores for the 2016 school year. The district also reported that 76 percent of that year’s graduating seniors attended college.
Allen Lui, a recent graduate from McCallie School who will be attending Princeton University this fall, speaks highly of his private education.
“I felt that it was intellectually challenging, offered opportunities for personal growth beyond the classroom, and allowed me to develop relationships with teachers,” he says.
Private schools can tout not just their academic success, but their extracurricular student involvement as well. The variety of student clubs and activities is vast – unique experiences such as literary magazine publication and swing dance clubs are offered at Baylor; Minecraft Club is available at Brainerd Baptist School; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s “Ninja Chess” teaches kids how to play chess through whole-body movement.
“Our school day is not done after the academic day,” says Baylor School Headmaster Scott Wilson.
Notre Dame proudly states that nearly 70 percent of its student body is involved in some sort of athletic group at school. Baylor makes it mandatory for each student to participate in an extracurricular activity, be it sports or one of the various clubs and organizations the school offers, such as band, gardening, community service and theater.
But all of that tailored education comes with a price. With local institutions ranging from $3,000 to $23,000 per year, tuition is the biggest concern for many parents considering private schools. Because independent schools do not receive government funding, they must be completely self-sufficient.
“Affordable excellence is the greatest challenge,” Wilson admits. “It’s the best money a parent would ever spend on their child but it’s expensive.”
Need-based financial aid is available for families who wish to send their child to a private school but can’t manage the cost. Each school has its own means of a financial aid process. Check the individual school’s website for more information.
>> How to enroll
An online application is usually the first step to enrolling your child into a private school, and is typically due in January or February. Each school has a registrar’s office to assist families with the process.
Tuition varies from school to school. Faith-based institutions, such as Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Notre Dame, have a discounted rate for Catholic families, though all religious faiths are accepted. Some schools require interviews, recommendations and placement tests, as well.
Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are public schools designed to focus on a specific area of study, be it the arts, math and science, or anything in between.
“Magnet schools provide an opportunity to think about school in a different way,” says Tony Donen, principal of STEM School Chattanooga, which focuses on teaching students the importance of science, technology, engineering and math through project-based learning.
Parents can choose to send their child to a magnet school so the student can pursue a passion or career choice in a more direct and in-depth way than what a traditional high school provides. Each student, along with taking the public school standardized core classes, can explore their interests in classes not typically offered at other schools. Chattanooga Center for Creative Arts offers a directing class for students interested in theater, and fiction and poetry writing for communication students.
All magnet schools have a “theme,” and develop curriculums to support that theme. For example, CCA offers advanced liberal art programs including music, dance, visual art, communications and theater instructed by professional artists and educators, while also stressing challenging academic classes, as well. The students select an artistic area of focus and complete the courses offered within the subject, much like selecting a major in college. Students at CCA are also required to enroll in AP classes upon reaching junior year, and take an ACT prep course, as well. Similarly, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences only offers honors classes to its students in order to prepare them for college.
“CSAS is the best for me, especially in terms of public schools in our county,” says Lauren Tolbert, a rising senior who has attended the magnet school since kindergarten. “The schools I’m zoned for are lower performing schools, and they are much larger. It’s really unfortunate that those kids don’t get some of the same opportunities, which is why I am forever grateful for the privilege to go to CSAS.”
STEM School Chattanooga was one of two schools selected nationwide last year to participate in a digital fabrication initiative called FabLab. Started as an MIT outreach project, the gist is if you can think it, you can make it. The FabLab provides students with the resources to design, prototype and test products of their own creation, and is embedded into their coursework at STEM School Chattanooga. The laboratory includes industrial-grade electronics tools and open source software written by researchers at MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms. Last year, one group of students crafted a bracelet for the deaf community that vibrates based on different sounds such as doorbells, sirens and others to help the hearing impaired recognize important noises around them they wouldn’t have otherwise noticed.
“Our school is set up in a way to transition a student to teach them to take control of their own learning,” Donen says of STEM School. “This is a STEM focus, so you’re going to get a lot of opportunities to work on STEM projects; work with business partners; create your own solutions, prototypes and products that will impact society.”
With all that targeted learning and focus, many magnet schools do not have all the opportunities that a traditional public school provides, such as athletics.
“We are unapologetically STEM,” says Donen. “If you want to be a drum major, this is not the place for you.”
Though some extracurricular activities may not be offered, there is no shortage of the ones they do have. Students in each department at CCA put on monthly performances. The STEM School offers special interest groups such as aviation club, robotics and coding club, and many more. And many magnet schools that lack an athletic department partner with other local schools to allow interested students to play on their teams.
>> How to enroll
Anyone wishing to enroll as a new student in a Hamilton County magnet school must submit a lottery application through the Department of Education between November and January of the preceding school year. New students are selected at random depending on how many available spaces each school has for the upcoming year. This can make getting into the school difficult. Filling out the application as soon as possible may give students a better chance of acceptance to certain schools, because date, year and time of receipt of the application can determine their place in the applicant pool. Some magnet schools require an audition, such as CCA, but most do not. Returning students have a guaranteed spot at the school, and register in the same manner as other public schools, online via the HCDE website.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools that take students who do not want to attend their zoned school. Charter schools, such as Ivy Academy and Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, represent an educational choice that’s not quite public and not quite private. They operate like public schools in the sense that they receive public funding, but they also raise private funds to cover expenses like building and transportation costs. This can translate to state-of-the-art facilities and offerings.
“Learning processes can be crafted more toward what each individual student needs,” says Ivy Academy principal Scott Grisar. “Needs can be met sooner than [most schools] because we don’t have to move through the whole district. We make changes at the school as we need to.”
Ivy Academy, for example, promotes taking care of the environment, and offers specialized courses and extracurriculars that support this effort. Veterinary science, environmental science and environmental natural resource management are areas students can choose to devote their focus.
Small classes allow for specialized attention to students with a stable curriculum. CGLA has an 11:1 student-teacher ratio, compared to Hamilton County’s 15:1 average.
“We still teach the Tennessee standards,” says Susan Brown, principal of Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence, “but public schools may choose a different curriculum every few years, where ours is more stable. When curriculums change, students end up with gaps in their knowledge.”
Even with small school populations – the boys-only charter Chattanooga Preparatory School is set to launch this year with 60 sixth-graders- extracurricular activities are still a large part of school life for charter school students. Athletics and clubs are offered, as well as advanced classes and special education. At Ivy Academy, mountain climbing, archery, rock climbing, kayaking and backpacking are just a few of the clubs and organizations open to students.
“Students will get to have the regular curriculum inside the building, but also can take that to the outside to hike and engage in outdoor learning and environmental science in outdoor classrooms,” Grisar says.
But getting access to such options can be difficult. There are not many charter schools in the Chattanooga area from which to choose. Chattanooga Preparatory School and Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy are both gender-specific, and Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence teaches kids in gender-separate classrooms. If this is not ideal for you, the only other charter option in Chattanooga is Ivy Academy. New student enrollment is limited based on the available space at each school, making it a challenge to get accepted.
>> How to enroll
It simply comes down to the number of new students who can be accepted. Some schools, such as Chattanooga Prep, implement a lottery to select incoming students, while others guarantee students a space if there is one available when they submit their application. Those previously enrolled have a guaranteed spot. Applications and more information are available online via each school’s website.