Admissions
Public schools admit all children. By law, public schools must educate all children, including students with special needs. To enroll in a public school you simply register your child by filling out the necessary paperwork.
Private schools are selective. They are not obligated to accept every child, and in many private schools admission is very competitive.
Governance
Public schools must follow all federal, state and local laws in educating children. Such laws usually include specifics about funding, program development and curriculum.
Private schools are not subject to as many state and federal regulations as public schools. Since private schools are funded independently, they are not subject to the limitations of state education budgets and have more freedom in designing curriculum and instruction.
Students
Public schools: The children at most public schools usually reflect the community. Students may be split up based on ability or interests, but in many public schools, there is a diversity of student backgrounds.
Private schools: The student population at a private school is determined through a selection process; all students must apply and be accepted in order to attend. Although students may be from different neighborhoods, they will probably have similar goals and interests. This tends to create a fairly homogenous student body.
Private school students typically score higher than public school students on standardized tests, but a released in 2006 that took into account students' backgrounds told a different story.
Public school students in fourth and eighth grade scored almost as well or better in reading and math, except that private school students excelled in eighth-grade reading.