How do public and private schools compare in Evanston?

In general the private schools within Evanston: Roycemore College Preparatory School and Chiaravalle Montessori School are considered very good if not top-tier. Roycemore is PK-12, whereas Chiaravalle is PK-8. Roycemore has a better reputation and offers a more rigourous and more traditional curriculum. Roycemore is better if you are looking for a very personal experience and small class sizes. Roycemore falls very short of other private high schools when it comes to extracurriculars, but soars when it comes to AP courses because of its strong relationship with Northwestern University. Most Chiaravalle students move onto attend Evanston Township High School and some other local schools. Most Roycemore students choose to stay and some move onto either New Trier High School in Northfield/Winnetka or Evanston Township High School.

The public schools in Evanston are much different. They are less consistent. Some are considered among the best in the nation along with ETHS, but some are sub-par. Evanston offers unique maginet programs at Rhodes and at King Lab. The best traditional elementary schools are Lincoln, Orrington, Dewey, Washington, Kingsley, and Willard. You should definitely avoid Dawes and Oakton as they have very poor performance. Evanston Public Schools offer a very diverse population, whereas the private schools are ovewhelmingly caucasian. Evanston Public Schools have some administrative issues and sometimes teachers can give parents and students a hard time.

I might also look into some other private schools like North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka and Lake Forest Country Day School in Lake Forest. There are many options in and around Evanston and you'll have to tour them to find the best fit.