ONPE Mission and Activities
ONPE fosters maximum participation of non-public school students and teachers in federal education programs and initiatives by:
- Representing the U.S. Department of Education to the non-public school community;
- Offering advice and guidance within the Department on all matters affecting non-public education;
- Communicating with national, state and local education agencies and associations on non-public education topics;
- Communicating the interests and concerns of the non-public school community to the Department; and
- Providing parents with information regarding educational options for their children.
ONPE Services and Resources
Statistics on Non-Public Education in the United States
- About 5.12 million students are in private schools, approximately 10 percent of all U.S. elementary and secondary school students (2003-04).
- Over 28,000 schools are private, approximately 23 percent of all U.S. schools (2003-04).
- About 82 percent of private school students attend religious schools, and 18 percent attend nonsectarian schools (2003-04).
- About 76 percent of private schools are religiously affiliated, and 24 percent are nonsectarian (2003-04).
- Tuition averages about $4,300 for elementary schools, $10,600 for secondary schools and $6,900 for combined schools (2003-2004).
- About 1.1 million students were homeschooled in spring 2003, approximately 2.2 percent of U.S. students ages 5—17, with a grade equivalent of kindergarten—grade 12.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results From the 2003-2004 Private School Universe Survey (statistics on private schools and students); Schools and Staffing Survey, 2003-2004 (statistics on private school tuition); Homeschooling in the United States: 2003 (statistics on homeschooled students).
How to Contact ONPE
Mailing Address:
Office of Non-Public Education
Office of Innovation and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave. S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-5940
Phone: (202) 401-1365
Fax: (202) 401-1368
E-mail: OIINon-PublicEducation@ed.gov
Web site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/nonpublic/index.html
Join the ONPE Listserv
The ONPE Listserv is a free subscription service providing information on K—12 education issues affecting the non-public school community. To subscribe, visit the ONPE Web site.
