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List of 4 items.

• What are independent schools?

  According to the National Association of Independent Schools, there are over 1,600 independent schools in the United States. As part of the non-profit, private school community, these schools provide more than 730,000 students from preschool through high school with a unique and high-quality education.
  
  Independent schools are "independent" because they have unique missions and are primarily supported by tuition payments and charitable contributions. Independent schools include coeducational and single gender institutions, as well as boarding and day schools. Each school meets high accreditation standards from state-approved accrediting bodies and is held accountable by its independent board of trustees.

• Why are independent schools successful?

  The research says:

  • Close-knit communities
  • Individualized attention for students
  • High-quality and committed teachers
  • Hands-on learning opportunities
  • Educational experiences beyond the classroom
  • Actively engaged parents
  • Supportive learning environments

• On average, independent school students:

  • Watch one-third less television
  • Are significantly more likely to participate in varsity or intramural sports
  • Are more likely to agree that students and teachers get along well, discipline is fair and teaching is good

• More evidence:

  Dr. Richard J. Light of Harvard University published a report describing five areas in which independent school graduates differ significantly from their counterparts from even the best public schools. Dr. Light found that independent school alumni were:
  

  • Significantly better in writing preparedness, especially with regard to research papers
  • Much more likely to seek out advice from a faculty member
  • Much more likely to choose the appropriate class level
  • Much more likely to have better time management skills
  • More likely to have a broader world view