Should I have my children attend public school, go to a Christian school, or be homeschooled?

Where your child attends school is a critical decision that you should make with much prayer and consideration. Scripture is clear that parents hold the primary responsibility for the education of their children, so you must decide which form of schooling your child should receive.

Let’s consider the positives and negatives of each option.

Public school: This is often the only available choice when no Christian school exists in the area and parents must work during the school day. The benefits include taxpayer-funded resources, social activities and sports, and connections with other children in the community. The negatives can vary widely among schools and usually relate to school safety and the moral issues our children face. For example, some schools have sought to normalize perspectives that are not biblical. Parents must stay involved and aware of these potential concerns at the local level.

Christian school: The benefits usually include the biblical worldview presented in the classroom, the involvement of Christian staff and students, and more personalized attention that comes from smaller class sizes, which are common in private schools. The major issue is the high price of private education. Many parents are unable to consider the option from a financial standpoint. Another common concern is that isolating a child in a Christian environment sometimes offers an unrealistic view of the world that leaves a student unprepared for life after graduation.

Homeschool: This has perhaps been the fastest-growing form of education over the past two decades. Some of the reasons parents are choosing this option include more time with children, personalized learning, less stress and social pressure, safety concerns, health reasons, and more flexibility in scheduling. However, homeschooling provides children fewer opportunities to bond with other children their age and requires the commitment of both parents, often requiring a family to live on one income. Many homeschool families balance the social needs of children by participating in sports leagues, church activities, and clubs focused on foreign languages, music, dance, and the arts.

We want to encourage you to stay involved in your child’s education as much as possible, regardless of the option you feel led to choose. It is also important that believers in the local church work together as a team to build one another up. Believers are called to respect each family’s schooling choice, encouraging one another in biblical community to help families and children grow in the Lord and in their educational pursuits.