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

• Technical assistance
• Presentations at conferences and workshops
• Brochures and publications
• Listserv messages
• Web site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/nonpublic/index.html

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.