{"id":1581,"date":"2020-02-27T03:38:22","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T03:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/memphisschools.wpengine.com\/?page_id=1581"},"modified":"2020-03-16T20:44:50","modified_gmt":"2020-03-16T20:44:50","slug":"choices","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/choices\/","title":{"rendered":"What are my choices?"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582775316865{margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1582&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582775447699{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;You&#8217;ve got options.&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23307ad5&#8243; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Montserrat%3Aregular%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;zoomInLeft&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582775289867{margin-top: -8px !important;margin-bottom: 29px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582774853185{margin-bottom: 32px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div id=\"x-section-1\" class=\"x-section\">\n<div class=\"x-container max width\">\n<div class=\"x-column x-sm x-2-3\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<p>Memphis is full of educational options \u2013 of all types. Start narrowing down your list here on Memphis School Guide. Click \u201cSave as a Favorite\u201d from any school\u2019s profile and we\u2019ll update you any time there\u2019s news on that school. Once you have a short list,\u00a0make plans to pay a visit to your favorites, keeping in mind the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/good-school\/\">quality and fit factors<\/a> you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1435816078010{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1584&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759385352{margin-top: 16px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;#traditional&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582776839726{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #f0c445;\">Public<\/span> Traditional<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;READ MORE&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759356575{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%23traditional|||&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPublic||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1585&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759405654{margin-top: 16px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;#optional&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582776845148{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #f0c445;\">Public<\/span> Optional<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;READ MORE&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759414522{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%23optional|||&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPublic%2520Optional||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1586&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759428759{margin-top: 16px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;#izone&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582776850329{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #f0c445;\">Public<\/span> iZone<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;READ MORE&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759438334{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%23izone|||&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPublic%2520iZone||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1587&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759498191{margin-top: 16px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;#charter&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582776855640{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #f0c445;\">Public<\/span> Charter<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;READ MORE&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759507193{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%23charter|||&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPublic%2520Charter||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1588&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759529159{margin-top: 16px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;#private&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582776861435{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #4d2777;\">Private<\/span> Schools<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;READ MORE&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583759538838{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%23private|||&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;xs&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPrivate||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; gap=&#8221;30&#8243; equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582786589132{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;background-color: #f0f0f0 !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;traditional&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582777442335{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #f0c445;\">Public<\/span> Traditional<\/h1>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<p>All students in Shelby County are zoned to a neighborhood public school and have a right to a seat in that school. But you can also choose another traditional public school if it seems like a better fit (and the school has space). There are no academic entrance requirements for traditional public schools. All public schools are tuition-free and follow state-established guidelines for standards, safety and evaluation. All public schools in Shelby County used to fall into one of two school districts, but as of 2014, there are now <a href=\"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/enroll\/districts\/\">eight school districts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPublic||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;ENROLLMENT INFO&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583762497915{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmemphisschoolguide.org%2Fenroll%2F%23traditional|||&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>We recommend starting your search with <a href=\"http:\/\/apps.schoolsitelocator.com\/?districtcode=70300\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">your neighborhood school<\/a>, regardless of what you might have heard about it from friends or neighbors. Even if you don\u2019t end up choosing it, you\u2019ll at least have made your own informed opinion and have a good comparison as you continue your search.<\/li>\n<li>Even traditional public schools in the same district can be very different one from another, based on school leadership, the teaching staff, and the level of parent and community support. So if your neighborhood school is not a good fit, another might be.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; gap=&#8221;30&#8243; equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582786598329{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;optional&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582778330650{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #f0c445;\">Public<\/span> Optional<\/h1>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<p>Optional Schools are all part of the Shelby County Schools district, and may offer a themed education, similar to \u201cmagnet\u201d schools in other cities. Read our full\u00a0<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/enroll\/optional\/\">Guide to SCS Optional Schools<\/a><\/span> for the full scoop, but here are two important things to know about Optional schools:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPublic%2520Optional||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;ENROLLMENT INFO&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583762553125{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmemphisschoolguide.org%2Fenroll%2F%23optional|||&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In some Optional Schools, all classes are considered Optional, meaning that all students at the school must meet Optional entrance requirements. Other Optional schools operate as a \u201cschool within a school,\u201d featuring some Optional and some traditional classrooms in each grade level.\u00a0<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/types?PID=849\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Find out which schools fall into each Optional category here.<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>And speaking of entrance requirements\u2026not all Optional schools have the same ones. If your child doesn\u2019t qualify for one Optional program, he or she may still be eligible for another, so check each school\u2019s requirements on the \u201cOptional Flyer\u201d which can be found on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/schools\/?LP=schools#\/optional\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">each school\u2019s SCS profile<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; gap=&#8221;30&#8243; equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582786606055{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;background-color: #f0f0f0 !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;izone&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582778727635{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #f0c445;\">Public<\/span> iZone<\/h1>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<p>Innovation Zone (iZone) Schools are a subset of Shelby County Schools that operate with more resources than traditional public schools. These are also considered neighborhood schools, as they have students zoned to them. iZone school leaders are given more freedom over staffing, budgets, programs, and schedules. iZone schools typically have a longer school day. They may experiment with new teaching methods or technology.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPublic%2520iZone||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;ENROLLMENT INFO&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583762571344{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmemphisschoolguide.org%2Fenroll%2F%23traditional|||&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>While these schools were put into\u00a0the iZone for being on the state\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/schools.memphisschoolguide.org\/schools\/?keywordSearch=true&amp;filter_keywords=Priority\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Priority List<\/a>\u00a0of lowest performing schools, many iZone schools have enjoyed strong test score growth since their turnarounds, so pay more attention to these schools\u2019 Growth scores than their Achievement scores.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Read More<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/extra-credit\/reward\/\">Reward and Priority\u00a0 Schools<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; gap=&#8221;30&#8243; equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582786617288{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;charter&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582779064386{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #f0c445;\">Public<\/span> Charter<\/h1>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<p>Charter schools are public schools, and do not charge tuition. Local school districts authorize charters to open schools, but do not run them. Charters make their own decisions about things like curriculum, how to hire teachers (though all must be state-certified), and even the length of the school day or year. All charters operating in Tennessee are not-for-profit. Some charters are single-site schools, while others operate multiple schools as part of a larger charter management organization (CMO). For more Frequently Asked Questions about charters, visit the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tnchartercenter.org\/who-we-are\/faq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tennessee Charter School Center<\/a>\u00a0or the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tn.gov\/education\/school-options\/charter-schools.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tennessee Department of Education<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPublic%2520Charter||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;ENROLLMENT INFO&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583762581519{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmemphisschoolguide.org%2Fenroll%2F%23charter|||&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>SCS charter schools do not have attendance zones \u2013 if you are interested in applying for your child, you must apply directly to the school.<\/li>\n<li>Most ASD schools, including the charters, do have attendance zones, and priority is given to students living within each school\u2019s\u00a0zone. However, eligibility to attend has opened up a little (and gotten more complicated) recently. Check the ASD section of the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/enroll\/districts\/\">Districts page<\/a>\u00a0for more details.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; gap=&#8221;30&#8243; equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582786623233{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;background-color: #f0f0f0 !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;private&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582779205090{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #4d2777;\">Private<\/span> Schools<\/h1>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<p>Private schools do not receive money from the state, so they fund operations by charging tuition. Many private schools offer some form of financial aid. They\u2019re typically run by an independent body (like a school board or the Catholic Diocese). Because they\u2019re exempt from direct state oversight and testing, they have the freedom to choose their own standards and educational approach. While the majority of private schools in Memphis have a religious affiliation, there are also a number of non-religious schools focusing on a wide variety of methodologies and approaches.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maisschools.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Memphis Association of Independent Schools<\/a>\u00a0(MAIS) and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cdom.org\/catholic-schools-office\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Catholic Diocese of Memphis<\/a> represent a large number of private schools in Memphis. A few things to note:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;VIEW SCHOOLS&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fschools.memphisschoolguide.org%2Fschools%2F%3Ffilter%3Dtrue%26filter_targetGradeLevel%3DANY%26filter_type%3DPrivate||target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;ENROLLMENT INFO&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; color=&#8221;warning&#8221; size=&#8221;sm&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_block=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583762591844{margin-bottom: 5px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fmemphisschoolguide.org%2Fenroll%2F%23private|||&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When weighing whether your family can afford a private school, you\u2019ll want to ask about all the associated costs \u2013 in addition to tuition, most private schools also charge fees for books, activities, technology, meals, etc. However, some private schools were designed specifically with low-income families in mind, and these may be a great choice if you qualify. Check out our page:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/enroll\/private\/\">Is Private School Really an Option?<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Many private schools have a birthday cut-off date (date by which your child has to be 5 to enter kindergarten) that is earlier than that of public schools, some as early as June 1. Some are flexible on this date\u2026others not so much.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582775316865{margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1582&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582775447699{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;You&#8217;ve got options.&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23307ad5&#8243; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Montserrat%3Aregular%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;zoomInLeft&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582775289867{margin-top: -8px !important;margin-bottom: 29px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582774853185{margin-bottom: 32px !important;}&#8221;] Memphis is full of educational options \u2013 of all types. Start narrowing down your list here on Memphis School Guide. Click \u201cSave as a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1581","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1581"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1581\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}