In tough times, some families finding private school tuition too much: Schools outside South Florida's public system report fewer students.

Byline: Akilah Johnson

Aug. 29--Pulling children from private schools, where they can receive religious instruction and avoid the FCAT, is not a choice parents want to make. But with family budgets shrinking and prices rising, more are choosing to enroll their kids in public classrooms. With milk and gas now costing about the same -- about $4 a gallon -- the added expense of thousands of dollars in tuition is too much for some parents when public school is free. So back-to-school institutions such as Debbie's School Uniforms in Plantation are watching as parents return pleated skirts and polo shirts they bought for school uniforms. Bertha Gonzalez didn't bother …