7K for kindergarten

[jme829]

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?

Maybe you could look in K12.com and see if NJ offers a virtual school in your state (or there are a couple of other companies, I'm just familiar with K12)

I did this for my girls (DD17 for 7th and 8th grade, dd11 for 1st grade).

You can do the lessons around your schedule as long as you get the time in.

They send you everything you need for the program, books, supplies, computers, etc..

We loved the program and the only reason we left was because DH got relocated and we moved to an area with waaaayyyy better schools than what we had, so we were able to move the kids back into traditional public schools.

Its pretty advanced material, yet easy to do ( I have no teaching background whatsoever, and I was fine with it).

You can either enter into their online public school which is free if you live in a state that offers it, or you can purchase their courses if you want to use their curriculum as a home school program, maybe you can do kindergarten yourself to at least get her prepared since everyone is stating it's not required in your state.

Check out their website. We loved them (we did the free online public school version..)

 

[ameraumi]

That seems really steep! What are they going to do when families cannot afford that, not send their child to K, and have classrooms full of children who are behind in 1st gr????

IN is another state that does not require enrollment in school until the child is age 7. However, there was a big push to have all day K and I think most districts in the state now offer it. I know about 6 yrs ago when my SIL lived in southern IN their school district offered the traditional 1/2 day K for free but you could choose the all day K program for a fee. I want to say it was around $300 a month for the all day option.

 

[kelcoppens]

Maybe you could look in K12.com and see if NJ offers a virtual school in your state (or there are a couple of other companies, I'm just familiar with K12)

I did this for my girls (DD17 for 7th and 8th grade, dd11 for 1st grade).

You can do the lessons around your schedule as long as you get the time in.

They send you everything you need for the program, books, supplies, computers, etc..

We loved the program and the only reason we left was because DH got relocated and we moved to an area with waaaayyyy better schools than what we had, so we were able to move the kids back into traditional public schools.

Its pretty advanced material, yet easy to do ( I have no teaching background whatsoever, and I was fine with it).

You can either enter into their online public school which is free if you live in a state that offers it, or you can purchase their courses if you want to use their curriculum as a home school program, maybe you can do kindergarten yourself to at least get her prepared since everyone is stating it's not required in your state.

Check out their website. We loved them (we did the free online public school version..)

This would be fine if the parent is home all day with their child. But if both parents work FT, you still need somewhere for your child to go all day so this wouldnt work.

 

[EMAW]

I know exactly how you feel. We have to pay too, but its not as bad as yours, $2,100 for the year here.

My little guy doesn't "have" to go to school until he is six, first grade, but like your kiddo is excited to go to school and I don't think its a good idea to quash that in any way. Schools are losing so much, programs, special classes- it seems that focus needs to be put into school budgets more.

Em

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Wow. I couldn't even imagine the uproar that would cause if it happened here. We get full day Kindergarten here, I didn't know there were even places that only did half day.

 

[crisi]

When my kids were in Kindergarten, half day K was free, you paid for full day K. I think it was $3k for the year. It was cheaper than daycare - and subsidized for reduced lunch/ free for free lunch. Even with the charge, they had far more children applying than space. It never hurt the school - they still offered half day for free, working parents just had to decide whether to pay the school or pay daycare.

The year after my daughter got done (and I paid $3k for her), they went to all day K for all kids and made it free to parents. It cost the district a ton of money up front, those kids are now forth graders and they are starting to see the reduction in literacy and special ed required. But its taken years to see the investment start to pay off - and while its paid off in higher test scores, they really haven't been able to cut the special ed staff - which is where the cost is.

 

[Marionnette]

This would be fine if the parent is home all day with their child. But if both parents work FT, you still need somewhere for your child to go all day so this wouldnt work.

Ah, but see it's not the community's job to provide childcare so that the parents can both work. An education, yes. Childcare, no. One could argue that if parents want their kids in an all day program so that they are free to work, then they should be willing to pay for it.

Just playing devil's advocate here. It is the same argument you will get at the budget meetings from child-free couples and those who send their children to private schools. And since kindergarten only affects a small portion of the overall school population, you're not likely to find a lot of support from those families with older children either.

 

[mjkacmom]

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.

If they are barely able to read by the end of kindergarten, they would probably suggest holding that child back here. Most are able to at least read simple early reading chapter books.

OP, I feel for you - with the taxes we pay, it hurts when the schools either ask for money, or cut programs. This is why I had so many children - to justify my property taxes.

 

[bethy]

Fundamentally, I really believe that the tax paying public has an obligation to provide a quality education for our children. But I don't feel that the purpose of schools is to provide care during the day for children who have no parent at home. Taking care of children during the day is the parents' responsibility and theirs alone. Of course, many parents choose to outsource all or part of that care and that is absoutely their choice and often the best choice.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have not ever heard of that.

However, as a homeschooling parent, I do keep attention to the compulsory attendance laws. If there is a state law mandating that kindergarten age children (age 5) attend school, then I do not see how they would legally be permitted to charge for a legal academic requirement.

They would have to eliminate football before charging for a grade.

If it isn't a compulsory age, then the parent can choose or not choose to pay for the service.

I am in agreement though with the daycare comments. It isn't the duty of the state to provide free childcare (unless perhaps the parent qualifies for some type of program). FT parents will just have to do what they did in the 5 years prior to K--pay for daycare. $7000 is steep though.

What would they do about Head Start students? Would federal tax dollars take care of their Kindergarten tuition?

FWIW--I never went to Kindergarten and thus far, I have only done a formal curriculum with one child who was compulsory due to where her birthday fell on the calendar. A parent CAN teach things to their kiddos if they had to do so, like reading. And for MUCH less than $7,000.

The tuition seems highway robbery.

 

[Ashlotte]

In Oregon (or at least the Portland metro area), most districts that offer full-day are tuition based. The half-day program is free, the full-day program is somewhere around $4000-$5000 for the year. The only time full-day K is free here is if the school does not offer a half-day option. Our school has had both options the whole time we've been here, with the full-day costing tuition. A neighboring school had only full-day for many years and since there was no half-day, it was free (the school had more a "high needs" and "at risk" population, so they got additional funding for this). Due to budget issues, though, they did away with the free full-day and are now like our school with paid full-day or free half-day.

I have to say, though, as a teacher, I would always opt for a half-day kindergarten instead of full-day for my children, even if full-day were free. I know all kids are different, so I am only talking about mine, but I really think full-day school is too much to ask for a five-year-old. It is wonderful to have a sort of "transition year," where they get used to going to school every day, but don't have quite the expectations of an older student. Also, by law (here at least), the full day classes cannot teach more material than the half-day classes. They use the extra time for enrichment activities, projects, lunch, specials, and recesses.

 

[juliebean]

I would not have a problem with switching to half day - and my child is already way above where she should be as far as reading and counting, so I have no worries about that. As a whole though, it is definately going to affect first grade. My 8 year old had a boy in her kindergarten who literally arrived from India on Friday and came to school the next Monday. The child screamed all day for weeks - can't blame him he didn't speak english and was totally freaked out. I can only imagine things like that are going to happen in 1st instead if they make the only option to pay for full day.

My big concern is if they do not offer a half day option. I don't think the SD has a responsibility to provide full day, but at the same time MANY parents (but not us) bought houses here because full day for free has been offered for 10+ years. So I think the BOE should keep that in mind when thinking about property values and taxes. I really think it might all be a scare tactic - if it is - it's working!

I also am trying to balance getting back into the work force via nursing school before my teenager goes to college...So, I do feel some pressure to get moving on that. I've been doing the prerequisites at night, and am ready to go full time when she does. Selfishly, I don't want to wait a year anymore than she does!

 

[thebeesknees]

My kids are in a charter school. 1/2 day kindergarten is free. If they want to go full-day, then we have to pay about $600 a month. I still haven't decided whether or not we are going to do full day or not for my youngest. I need to factor in gas prices/wear and tear on the car and see how much it will cost me to make an extra trip in the middle of the day to drop him off. We live 12 miles away from the school, so it does add up.

I believe the issue for the OP is that it sounds like kindergarten is not required in her state. That means the school district can legally charge for kindergarten. It isn't required here, either - our compulsory age is 7. My DD in 1st grade won't turn 7 until next month. So legally, I didn't have to send her to school at all until NEXT YEAR! Obviously, we sent her when she turned 5, though! It stinks, but until the laws get changed to lower the compulsory age, there isn't a whole lot we can do about it.

 

[Skpnw]

Half-day kindergarten is free in my school district here in Washington. If I choose to enter my child into the full-day lottery, I would have to pay tuition, about $3500. There is applications for reduced and free tuition for those that qualify. Breaking it down, it is $350/month, which isn't bad for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week - better than preschool for 3 hours a day., 3 times a week.

 

[allison443]

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!

OP I am also in NJ! I think other towns are going this route as well. Kindergarten is not mandated in NJ apparently.

I read this article about Bernards Township voting to eliminate full day kindergarten. Parents in the town raised $420,00 in four weeks to save the program. Wow!! http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/...25005/NJ-group-raises-money-save-kindergarten

My suggestion would be, if the program isn't restored, is to check out local Catholic schools. In my area many of the towns still have half day programs, and parents seeking a full day alternative with before care and aftercare often go to the Catholic school, and enter the public school in first grade. The school is a lot less than $7K.

 

[KelsiesMommy]

WOW!!! Not sure where that is, but I pay $4400/yr for Full day Kindergarten at a PRIVATE school- NO WAY would I pay $7k for public school!!!

 

[DVCLiz]

WOW!!! Not sure where that is, but I pay $4400/yr for Full day Kindergarten at a PRIVATE school- NO WAY would I pay $7k for public school!!!

You're getting a bargain - tuition for full day kindergarten at one of the private schools in my city is 15K per year.

 

[crisi]

I would not have a problem with switching to half day - and my child is already way above where she should be as far as reading and counting, so I have no worries about that. As a whole though, it is definately going to affect first grade. My 8 year old had a boy in her kindergarten who literally arrived from India on Friday and came to school the next Monday. The child screamed all day for weeks - can't blame him he didn't speak english and was totally freaked out. I can only imagine things like that are going to happen in 1st instead if they make the only option to pay for full day.

Full day Kindergarten doesn't solve that, though. We have immigrant kids showing up without a speck of English every year in every grade.

 

[LisaNJ25]

Have they thought about cutting back to half day?

My school went full day about 8 years ago. The also have 1/2 pre-k with no charge.

I know if we went to charging for kindergarten not one family could afford the $7000 a year here (NJ also)

 

[fakereadhed]

My advice is find a Montessori or other private school in the same or lesser price range. We spend 6K for DS kindergarten, full day, 5 days per week and it is money well spent. He did public kindergarten last year and was struggling. Free is not always better! Now he has 7-15 kids per class with one teacher and an aide and is doing great! He's reading and mastering addition and subtraction. If they make you pay, go for a smaller class size.