Independent Education in the United States

I am writing to explain the role and nature of secondary independent education in the United States. The differences between the public and private education systems are vast and in terms of quality, requirements, and goals. It is important to differentiate between these systems, in reality two very different worlds. My professional experience spans forty years in independent schools, currently as the headmaster of a college preparatory boarding and day school.

Independent schools comprise only two percent of the total pre-college system of education in the United States. The term independent refers to the governance of the institutions. While our schools are accredited through the state and regional education agencies, the curricula and programs are not determined by public bureaucracies, political or religious. American public schools have the responsibility to serve the entire population, while independent schools identify their specific mission and define the curriculum to support it. Since the student population of independent schools is much more specifically defined, the general standards and curricula are much more demanding.

All of advantages enjoyed by independent schools come at a cost. Independent schools do not receive any public funding but rely completely on private resources. Funding for independent schools comes from parental tuition payments and contributions from alumni and friends of the school instead of from the state or federal government. Whether elementary, middle or secondary schools, whether boarding or day schools or both, whether single-sex or co-ed schools, independent schools embrace a set of common core values chief of which are, in the words of the National Association of Independent Schools, “independence, interdependence, inclusivity, diversity and innovation.”

Families looking seriously into enrolling a child in an independent school tend to do so because these schools seem to offer advantages to local public schools. Among the most often cited advantages are smaller class size with increased interaction with teachers, a more rigorous overall program of study aimed at preparing a student for college, increased opportunities for leadership and athletic participation, a safer environment and the chance to live or study in a structured environment where behavior and performance expectations are challenging and clear by means of close adult supervision.

Normally, independent secondary schools offer a program of studies that is designed for students with above average academic ability and virtually all of whom are intent on university study. Indeed, in some independent schools, there are as many honors-level and Advanced Placement classes as there are regular college placement classes. Independent schools, however, pride themselves on being able to meet the academic needs and aspirations of a variety of students with different academic potential. Accreditation processes and internal reviews assure that the schools’ curricula are challenging yet manageable. The ratio of teachers to students in these schools is such that faculty come to understand what each student is capable of producing and in fact insist on that level of achievement. By virtue of size and philosophy, smaller independent schools can usually attain these goals far more effectively than larger public schools which operate typically with a far less flexible philosophy.

American boarding schools offer some specific advantages for students. The rigorous accrediting standards establish the broad guidelines for quality of programs, but the most effective measure of the high standards can be taken from the success of the graduates. Boarding school students are extremely competitive in the college admissions competitions, and the scores of these students on the national Advanced Placement exams statistically demonstrate their superior preparation. International students attending American schools compete in the same Advanced Placement courses, and it has been my experience that the German students attending American boarding schools excel. The German students find that the demands and rigor of their courses in American boarding schools compare favorably to the German Gymnasium. Students returning to Germany after a year in American boarding schools reenter their schools and compete very favorably. The consistent feedback that I receive indicates that their year in America has served them extremely well.

Phil Hadley (headmaster, Virginia Episcopal School, 2009)