Introduction
In the United States, the term "private school" can be correctly applied to any school for which the facilities and funding are not provided by the federal, state or local government; as opposed to a "public school", which is operated by the government or in the case of charter schools, independently with government funding and regulation. The majority of private schools in the United States are operated by religious institutions and organizations.
Private schools, also known as independent schools or non-state schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition, rather than relying on mandatory taxation through public (government) funding. At some private schools, students may be able to get a scholarship, which makes the cost cheaper, depending on a talent the student may have, e.g. sport scholarship, art scholarship, academic scholarship, etc. Private schools are typically more expensive than their public counterparts. These schools are generally exempt from most educational regulations, but tend to follow the spirit of regulations concerning the content of courses in an attempt to provide a level of education equal to or better than that available in public schools.
Education and Licensing
The exemption from government regulations allows private school principles to set their own hiring requirements. Unlike public school teaching jobs, private school teaching jobs do not necessarily require a specific degree in education or a license by the state. Although hiring requirements may vary from school to school, most private schools do require that teachers have at least a four year degree and experience in the field that they plan to teach. However, the school might not mandate that you complete coursework on teacher preparation or pedagogy. For example, if you earned a degree in physics and have work experience in that field, some privates schools would consider hiring you to teach physics and other science classes. During the hiring process, years of experience and field expertise can be substituted for a teaching certificate.
Licensing prerequisites also depend on the school. Most private schools do not obligate teachers to complete the state licensing process, but some schools will ask you to take a basic skills test or the Praxis test. The Praxis test is one of a series of American teacher certification exams written and administered by the Educational Testing Service. It usually consists of two separate tests, Praxis 1 and 2. The Praxis I, or Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST), consists of three exams: reading, writing, and mathematics. In most colleges and universities, a passing score must be earned for admission to teacher education. The Praxis II assessments cover many different subject areas. Each state requires a different combination of Praxis II exams for certification. In many states, these include a content knowledge and a pedagogy exam. Even if the private school that you are applying to does not require you to take Praxis examine, passing the test can often make you a more attractive candidate to potential employees.
School Culture
Freedom from state and federal government regulations also allows private schools administrators and teachers the ability to develop their own curriculum standards. Public schools are mandated to follow the common core and/ or curriculum state standards. These standards set the learning agenda and objective for each grade level. Public school teachers are often evaluated, in part, on how well they incorporate these standards into their curricula. Private school teachers, on the other hand, have more autonomy in designing curriculum. They can be more creative and offer classes that you might not see in public school setting. For example, many of the religious independent schools offer religious courses and more electives for their students. Often times, teachers who choose to work in the private sector, crave a school culture that is unregulated by the state or federal government, and a culture that allows them have more freedom in the classroom.
Private School
Private schools, also known as independent schools or non-state schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition, rather than relying on mandatory taxation through public (government) funding.