The scope of private schools in the United States, especially local religious education schools, may be surprising. According to 2007-08 data, 25% of elementary and high schools are private. The most recent 2009 statistics show that 11% of all elementary and high school students attend these private schools. Just over 80% of all students attend local religious education schools. Catholic private school students make up the largest group, enrolling 42.5% of the students, other religious institutions enroll 38.1%, and nonsectarian schools enroll the remaining 19.4% of students. As these statistics show, local religious education schools appeal to a fairly large number of families (Facts and Studies). Money to run local religious education schools generally cannot come from the government, thus, the main source of income is provided by yearly student tuition, which can range from $4,000 to over $17,000 dollars. Most private schools offer some form of financial aid; students may be eligible to receive assistance in the form of scholarships and grants. Besides tuition, another source of funding is donations made by individuals and other religious organizations (Facts and Studies). One great advantage of local religious education schools is that students learn in an environment where morals and virtues are incorporated into the learning atmosphere. It is beneficial for the childrens own religion to become part of their everyday life and learning. The religious education is also good for students with different religions than their private school promotes. By attending the school, their eyes are opened to other beliefs, which can help their understanding and acceptance of people who are different from them.
