7K for kindergarten

[juliebean]

So, our school district is having a difficult budgetary year and one of the proposals is to change the currently free full day kindergarten to having the parents pay $7,000 for kindergarten. As you can imagine, a lot of parents are upset (including us), and not sure how we will pay for it. It's been tough to pay $3,000 for preschool and I was relieved to be leaving that payment behind soon! This is still a preliminary proposal, no info on how children who qualify for free and reduced lunch (not a large number are eligible anyway) or with special needs would be handled. My daughter wouldn't qualify on either count anyway. I was wondering if anyone else pays for public kindergarten and if this is a typical amount?

 

[NMW]

I have never heard of paying for public school. Isn't that what you pay school taxes for? What state do you live in?

 

[clh2]

I am curious - is 1/2 time kinder still available? Maybe that is an option???
(For WHATEVER reason, our school district offers both full and half day.)

 

[juliebean]

We live in NJ and do pay A LOT of property taxes, but the school board is saying that the state doesn't require the district offer kindergarten. It is extremely frustrating!

They are throwing out a bunch of different preliminary options depending on the budget - staying as is, half day w/parents paying for childcare if needed, half day w/parents paying for the half day & no childcare option, or full day with w/parents paying. Both half day options were quoted as around $3,500 - which we could manage better. But, it appears the SD wants to get out of paying for any of it and still feels the kids need full day, hence the full day $7K option is the one being promoted.

I'm really just disgusted by the whole thing, last year and this year has been a bloodbath when these budgets are discussed. Our per pupil costs are over $14,000 and it is paid entirely by property taxes, we are considered a wealthy district (really it's middle class or at most upper middle) and get nothing back for the schools for all the state income taxes we pay....

But, I also don't feel like my child can go without kindergarten, particularly because she is one of the older kids for her grade and she is dying to go all day. Right now she is going 2 1/2 hours a day.

Thanks for letting me vent - steam is coming out of my ears from this!

 

[maddiesmom0116]

Wow, that is steep. My DD went to private all day kindergarten and it was only $5200 for the school year. That was with more benefits then what I would guess the public school would offer. She paid for no supplies or extra book fees, she received before and after care (6:30am-6pm), she had 2 certified elementry teachers and 2 assistants with only 18 kids in the class.

I would just go to a private kindergarten if it is an option in your state and get it cheaper and possibly a better education like my DD did.

 

[scrapquitler]

So, our school district is having a difficult budgetary year and one of the proposals is to change the currently free full day kindergarten to having the parents pay $7,000 for kindergarten. As you can imagine, a lot of parents are upset (including us), and not sure how we will pay for it. It's been tough to pay $3,000 for preschool and I was relieved to be leaving that payment behind soon! This is still a preliminary proposal, no info on how children who qualify for free and reduced lunch (not a large number are eligible anyway) or with special needs would be handled. My daughter wouldn't qualify on either count anyway. I was wondering if anyone else pays for public kindergarten and if this is a typical amount?

$7K for Kindergarten...so what other option is there...I imagine if they are trying to charge the fee for full day K, it means one of two things: K is optional in your state or you also have the option of half day K for no charge. Am I right? Simple, if you can't afford the $7K, then you do the free half day program instead.

In my Mom's town they did precisely that...they implemented full day K in a couple of classes at one school, an optional thing. They had a lottery to see who would get into it and they required the parents to pay the 'difference' between the full day program and the regular half day program, a fee of several thousand dollars. They had TONS of people on the waiting list who were willing to pay for it, and the program has been completely full every year.

In my town, if you want full day K, you have to do a private school. And they all cost more than $7K, except for the couple of Catholic schools in the area, and it is almost impossible to get into those K programs unless you are a member of the parish.

 

[Kathi OD]

So, our school district is having a difficult budgetary year and one of the proposals is to change the currently free full day kindergarten to having the parents pay $7,000 for kindergarten. As you can imagine, a lot of parents are upset (including us), and not sure how we will pay for it. It's been tough to pay $3,000 for preschool and I was relieved to be leaving that payment behind soon! This is still a preliminary proposal, no info on how children who qualify for free and reduced lunch (not a large number are eligible anyway) or with special needs would be handled. My daughter wouldn't qualify on either count anyway. I was wondering if anyone else pays for public kindergarten and if this is a typical amount?

I've never heard of a public school charging for kindergarten. However, full day kinder is still not the norm in many areas. Will your district be offering 1/2 day kinder for free? If so, this might be considered one of those "pay to play" kind of things that is becoming popular with school sports. In other words, the district will offer it, but those who want to partake will be charged in order to offset the cost of the program.

Another question. Is kindergarten a mandated program in your state. In many states it is not. While the purpose has changed over the years, school districts starting offering kindergarten as a way to help children become accustomed to the daily routine of school and give them the readiness tools they need for first grade. Although not the norm today, here was a time when many children entered first grade without ever going to preschool or kindergarten. If your state has not updated it's education regulations to require kindergarten, then your district may be considering this as a way to trim costs without sacrificing programs.

In the end, I only see this happening if your district offers a free half day program OR if kindergarten isn't a mandated program. Of course, I could be totally wrong on that.

Children w/ special needs will be accommodated in accordance with federal and state law, regardless of cost.

ETA: I see that you are in NJ. No, kindergarten is not a mandated program. Your district is well within its rights, according to the education code to either charge for the program or eliminate it altogether.

 

[brymolmom]

If you can't pay for it - investigate 5 day a week preschool options - it would likely be less expensive. Kindergarten isn't mandatory so they don't 'have' to offer it. And you don't 'have' to send your child there. Any decent 5 day preschool program (plus some 'extras' at home - lots of reading, etc.) will likely prepare your child in a similar fashion and then she can go right to free first grade!

And this is a proposal - I wouldn't worry about finding the cash until it is actually voted and a done deal.

 

[daughtersrus]

So, our school district is having a difficult budgetary year and one of the proposals is to change the currently free full day kindergarten to having the parents pay $7,000 for kindergarten. As you can imagine, a lot of parents are upset (including us), and not sure how we will pay for it. It's been tough to pay $3,000 for preschool and I was relieved to be leaving that payment behind soon! This is still a preliminary proposal, no info on how children who qualify for free and reduced lunch (not a large number are eligible anyway) or with special needs would be handled. My daughter wouldn't qualify on either count anyway. I was wondering if anyone else pays for public kindergarten and if this is a typical amount?

I'm not sure what state you're in but here in IL, children are not required to attend school until 1st grade. Of course, every school district that I know of offers it at the same cost for elementary students. Bus service is provided to those that are eligible as well. There was a district in the suburbs of Chicago talking about this awhile ago.

As for the special needs students, they would not be effected since IDEA requires that school districts provide an appropriate education for children 3 years old and up.

 

[Kathi OD]

Wow, that is steep. My DD went to private all day kindergarten and it was only $5200 for the school year. That was with more benefits then what I would guess the public school would offer. She paid for no supplies or extra book fees, she received before and after care (6:30am-6pm), she had 2 certified elementry teachers and 2 assistants with only 18 kids in the class.

I would just go to a private kindergarten if it is an option in your state and get it cheaper and possibly a better education like my DD did.

That $5200 tuition was probably much lower than the $7000 the OP's school district wants to charge because of the cost of teacher salaries and benefits, AND where you live (which I'm guessing isn't NJ).

Public school teachers here make approximately 2 - 2.5 times what a private school teacher makes. Also, most of them have full, district-paid benefits. Since the average per-pupil cost in a NJ public school for the '09-'10 school year was $13,385. http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2010/0326csg.htm That $7,000 figure is looking like a real bargain.

While I don't have figures, I would think that non-religious affiliated private school kindergarten tuition in NJ would be more than $5200/year, and probably more than the $7000 the district wants to charge.

OP, I'm guessing you are in Parsippany?

 

[princesspeach]

Why not teach her to read yourself,and then send her to first grade. I'm sure she will be way ahead of the other first graders if you take the time to do it yourself. I would never pay 7000 for public school kindergarden. They barely know how to read by the end of the year. Big waste of time in my opinion.

 

[juliebean]

I guess we've been spoiled by having full day for free (no half day option currently), and I would be fine with having half day for free. I'm a stay at home mom (although I was planning on going to nursing school during the day full time in the fall) and don't think there is a huge difference between full and half day kindergarten. However, I know half day can be difficult for working parents.

The option we would have a hard time affording is if the only option is paying for $7K for full day or nothing. Really, I was just wondering if anyone else has this all or nothing option for public kindergarten and venting!

They do have a history for the last couple of years of going doomsday on everyone during the budget and then it's not nearly that bad - but it's very stressful for everyone. So, I'm trying to keep that in mind too.

Does anyone else have no free kindergarten (half or full) option?

 

[dana1003]

We live in NJ and do pay A LOT of property taxes, but the school board is saying that the state doesn't require the district offer kindergarten. It is extremely frustrating!

They are throwing out a bunch of different preliminary options depending on the budget - staying as is, half day w/parents paying for childcare if needed, half day w/parents paying for the half day & no childcare option, or full day with w/parents paying. Both half day options were quoted as around $3,500 - which we could manage better. But, it appears the SD wants to get out of paying for any of it and still feels the kids need full day, hence the full day $7K option is the one being promoted.

I'm really just disgusted by the whole thing, last year and this year has been a bloodbath when these budgets are discussed. Our per pupil costs are over $14,000 and it is paid entirely by property taxes, we are considered a wealthy district (really it's middle class or at most upper middle) and get nothing back for the schools for all the state income taxes we pay....

But, I also don't feel like my child can go without kindergarten, particularly because she is one of the older kids for her grade and she is dying to go all day. Right now she is going 2 1/2 hours a day.

Thanks for letting me vent - steam is coming out of my ears from this!

im not shocked at all..im in bergen county and im disgusted by whats going on. my twins are in first grade and they cut all specials( music, art, gym!!!!)
they also got rid of all bussing. thankfully im in walking distance of the school and i thinks thats ridiculous that they want us to pay for kindergarten now!!!
k is sooo important though and if i had to do it i would. they learned so much that year that i dont think they would be doing so well this year if they hadnt gone. hubby and i were thinking of moving to a different part of jersey but dont know where its any better...

 

[bethy]

We live in a wealthy school district relative to the rest of our state but our per pupil cost is much lower. The district provides half day Kindy at no cost but if you want optional full day K you have to pay for the extra time at $380 per month.

Personally, we prefer half day K anyway and thus are more than happy with that option - in fact we are grateful it even is an option when it's not in so many school districts nowadays.

 

[angwill]

I would be researching other options or if possible home school. I think the idea of charging for K is only going to hurt the school in the long run. What will they do with the kids who don't know their ABC's and can't count when they get them in 1st grade? Those kids will just have to repeat the grade and that isn't going to help their budget at all.

 

[kelcoppens]

im not shocked at all..im in bergen county and im disgusted by whats going on. my twins are in first grade and they cut all specials( music, art, gym!!!!)
they also got rid of all bussing. thankfully im in walking distance of the school and i thinks thats ridiculous that they want us to pay for kindergarten now!!!
k is sooo important though and if i had to do it i would. they learned so much that year that i dont think they would be doing so well this year if they hadnt gone. hubby and i were thinking of moving to a different part of jersey but dont know where its any better...

Wow! Im right next door to NJ (in Bucks county PA) and I never heard of paying for public kindergarden. My only beef with ours is that we dont have the full day option AT ALL. So DD will be going next year to Kindy for 2 1/2 hours every day, and the rest of the day, we have to pay for an aftercare program.

 

[DawnM]

I bet the local private schools will be overloaded with applications! Our church Kindergarden is $4,500 for the year if you are a member, $5,300 if you aren't! I can't imagine paying MORE for public school!

 

[princessmom29]

That is about what we are paying for first grade at a private school this year. K was more like $6000. I would be looking at private options before paying that for a public K. It is true that in many states it is not manditory that K be offered.

 

[JennyKS]

I'm in Kansas and we had that "scare" at the start of the school year. And yes, it was that amount. They were going to offer 1/2 day for free, but all day would cost 7,000 a year. When figured up with what I would have had to pay for daycare and school it would have been cheaper to send her to a private school.

Fortunately enough people spoke up and they lowered the cost to like 500 a year and not offer the 1/2 day.

They said here that Kindergarten isnt funded as much as the other grades, thats why they needed to charge.

 

[Marionnette]

I think we all need to get used to seeing budget cuts for popular programs. There are too many mandated programs that must be funded and too little left over to cover the extras. Like it or not, your state considers kindergarten for non "at risk" kids to be optional. The same goes for music, art and other enhancement programs. If a school district is forced to either raise taxes or cut nonessential services, guess what's going to happen?

At least your school district has not made the decision to cut the kindergarten program entirely. There are quite a few districts in rural PA that don't offer it at all...even if parents are willing to pay for it.