Timeless School Insights

Transferring from Public to Private School Mid-Year: What to Expect

Most families begin planning private school enrollment many months—or even years—before the school year starts. But sometimes circumstances change, and a mid-year transfer becomes the best move for a student’s academic and personal development.

Whether due to relocation, unmet academic needs, or a search for a more supportive environment, transferring from a public to private school mid-year is more common than many parents realize. While it requires thoughtful planning, private schools are often well-equipped to welcome new students midstream with structure, support, and a personalized approach.

Here’s what to expect if your family is considering a mid-year transfer.

Why Families Choose to Transfer Mid-Year

Frequent reasons for mid-year moves include:

• A mismatch between the student’s learning style and the public school setting

• Concerns about class size, academic rigor, or peer dynamics

• Family relocation or lifestyle changes

• A desire for a values-based or faith-aligned education

• The need for more individualized attention or specialized programs

Private schools often offer smaller class sizes, enriched curricula, and flexibility to support transitions—making them a strong alternative for students who aren’t thriving in their current setting. Additionally, families may consider options like private schools in California or private schools in Florida, where mid-year transfers are more common.

Application and

The A to Z of Private Schools (2025 Edition)

Private schools in the United States have long offered families an alternative to public education—emphasizing small class sizes, personalized instruction, and distinctive educational philosophies. But the landscape in 2025 looks different than it did even a decade ago. Rising tuition, new demographic shifts, and expanded program offerings make private education both more diverse and, in many cases, more accessible.

This A to Z guide walks you through the essentials of private schools in 2025, helping families and educators understand the key terms, trends, and opportunities that define the sector today.

A – Admissions

Private school admissions remain competitive, but many schools now emphasize “fit” over test scores. Some institutions have reduced reliance on entrance exams, instead considering teacher recommendations, student essays, and interviews. Waitlists are common at top-tier schools, particularly in urban centers.

B – Boarding Schools

Boarding schools are evolving. Once primarily East Coast institutions, they are now attracting international students and offering global curricula such as the International Baccalaureate (IB). In 2025, 20% of U.S. boarding school students come from outside the country, fostering diverse campus cultures.

C – Curriculum

Private schools often have flexibility beyond state-mandated requirements. Many emphasize STEM, arts integration, and experiential learning. Project-based learning and advanced electives—such as artificial intelligence or environmental science—are increasingly common.

D – Diversity

Diversity remains a priority. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, students of color now

Solid parent-teacher relationships have always been an important part of K-12 education. During this interminable pandemic, parent-teacher relationships have become even more important. That's because most of us parents and teachers are not quite sure what's coming next. Will local infections have risen to the point that the local and state authorities have ordered a lockdown? Has the coronavirus infected a member or members of our school's community? The number of variables we face daily can be confusing and discouraging for us parents. But, know what? It's even worse for our children. You and I have experience on our side. We've been through tough times. We've had our comfortable routines thrown into disarray by changes in employment and relationships. Realistically, however, our children have not experienced any of those issues. So, when suddenly they are forced to stay at home and take classes online, it's unfamiliar, uncharted territory for them, as it is for their parents. As a result, a strong parent-teacher relationship is an essential element in your child's intellectual and mental well-being during the pandemic.

The acronym TRUE will help you and me understand what's involved in creating the environment for a strong, supportive parent-teacher relationship.

T - Transition from in-person to digital learning

R - Relate to your teacher's situation

U - Understand your child's point of view

E - Expect a good result

In this video, Megan Olivia Hall, 2013 Minnesota teacher of the year, explains how a parent-teacher relationship works.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a profound, lasting effect on our lives. Most schools shut down and abandoned in-person classes in the spring of 2020. While that offered families control of their children's whereabouts, it presented a whole set of new challenges when it came to learning. Private schools transitioned fairly quickly to online instruction. They were able to do that because private school teachers had learned how to teach effectively online. Additionally, most schools had the necessary IT infrastructure in place to handle the entire faculty teaching online. Furthermore, most private school families had robust Internet connections and the computers needed to receive digital instruction.

This hub collects all of our articles on the COVID-19 pandemic into one convenient place. We hope that they will be helpful as you plan your children's education.

School Reopenings Fall 2020

In this article, we show you where to look for information about school reopening protocols, reopening communications, schools that have closed, and schools with COVID-19 cases, among other COVID-19 related issues. As always, what's important is for you to follow instructions issued by your school, local and state government. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer a wealth of information that you should read. But your actions and response to the pandemic are governed by your local government officials.

Cooperate with your school's instructions. Discuss them with your children. Listen carefully to their comments and criticisms. Then explain to them why compliance with all the school's instructions

Now that your children's school has reopened for the academic year 2020-2021, a major challenge is hopefully out of the way. The planning alone for the reopening of school was arduous and time-consuming. Your school's administrative team spent countless hours over the late spring and summer planning how to reopen the school safely. To understand how complex the variables involved were in their discussions and deliberations, think about working a jigsaw puzzle with an impressionist picture in shades of blue and gray. Those variables included federal, state, and local guidelines involving just about everything you can imagine. Like all the rest of the parents, I know that you wondered whether the school could reopen at all. But it did. While things certainly are different from past years, a private school education's essential hallmarks are in place for all to see: a safe community and high-quality teaching.

Now, let's look at how you can help the school out during these unprecedented times.

Listen to your school's instructions.

This admonition is important because you may well hear conflicting advice and news on social media or television. For example, when somebody retweets a claim about wearing masks not being effective, follow your school's guidance. A private school community includes a wide range of age groups. Some members of the community are more exposed to the COVID-19 virus than others. The same thing applies to gathering in groups and maintaining social distancing. Don't plan a birthday or other celebration with friends and