Data on the numbers of children enrolled in public schools and private schools in Sacramento County over the past five years was used. Public schools are charged with the education of children within a county, but the common perception is that Sacramento County public schools are losing enrollment to private schools because of parental dissatisfaction.
Parents choose to enroll a child in private school for many different reasons.
Some parents want their children to receive the religious education that is constitutionally prohibited in public schools. Other parents choose private schools that offer programs tailored to meet specific needs of their children. The public school system in Sacramento County, and throughout the state, is changing to meet higher demands of parents, educators and employers. Reforms such as reduction of class size at the primary level, elimination of social promotion, and increased accountability by individual schools are already in place. There is growing interest in charter schools, public schools exempt from many state statutes governing school districts.