Is Pre-K free in your area??

[PollyannaMom]

Our public school runs a pre-K that's free for special needs, but also has a limited number of extra spaces for model peers. Those parents have to pay, but I think a lower rate than the private preschools around here.

 

[mjkacmom]

No free Pre - K here.....I wish there had been...I'd have save thousands of dollars after sending 2 kids through it.

I estimated that I spent over $40,000 on preschool for my children!

 

[Northstar]

Here in Canada we have junior k and senior k in the elementary schools. They go every other day and every other Friday . Not next year but the next one senior k will go everyday. JK kids are usually 4 but some are 3 all most 4 if there birthday falls between Sept and Dec.

It is just like normal school so yes it is free.

Actually, NAB, that's "here in Ontario" like Teresa Pitman said, NOT "here in Canada."

Here in Nova Scotia, Canada, free public schooling starts at Grade Primary, which is what we call kindergarten.

There might be a few funded pre-K programs provided for special needs children or in districts where a lot of children struggle in Primary... but most parents would have to pay for preschool.

 

[SC Minnie]

We have pre K that is 'free' (paid for by my tax $ so it's not totally 'free') for kids with special needs which can be 'typical' special needs or they just need extra help to be on par for K. They do take kids without special needs but it is income based.

 

[karenos]

Yes, our school district has had free 1/2 day 4yo pre-k for years now open to everyone. K is all day.

I'm in Northern NJ as well. But in my town there is no free pre-K. I paid for 3 years of it for my DS (private pre-school). Kindergarten is only 1/2 day as well.

karenos

 

[emma'smom]

Umm...there is a TON of research that affirms that fact that preschool education is very effective in preparing children socially and laying an academic foundation---especially for children at the margins of society. Just look to the Perry Preschool Project (the longest longitudinal study on record that documents preschool effects well into adult life). I believe the Perry Preschool study is still tracking students who are now in their 30's.

It's also true in Ontario (Canada) that school is not required until grade one, and if your child was born between September and December, they have the option of waiting an additional year to start school in grade one.

I disagree, by the way, that children miss out on a lot by not attending pre-kindergarten. There is no research to show any long-term benefits except to children from low-income, deprived homes. The only difference is that the kids who have been in these JK/SK programs learn the school routines, but six-year-olds starting in grade one will pick those up pretty quickly.

It does make sense for parents who would have their children in daycare situations otherwise - it's certainly helpful to them to have a taxpayer-supported, educational program. But a parent at home with young children can provide plenty of opportunities for learning, creative play, outings in the community, etc.

Teresa Pitman

 

[MoniqueU]

Heck if they could figure out how to charge us double for the public education we DO get they would. We don't get anything free of charge here. I didn't work so I didn't even get a tax credit even though it was more of a hardship on our family then it was on a 2 income family. Don't even get me started on CA.

 

[MM27]

Both the town I live in and the district where I work have free prek-3 and prek-4. In fact, they both have schools devoted strictly to the little ones.

 

[daughtersrus]

I'm in a western suburb of Chicago. In our school district, the only way to get your child into a public Pre-K is if your child has special needs or is "at risk". You still have to pay a school fee but that is about $35.00. If you are low income, the fee is reduced or eliminated. Other than that, the only other option is Pre-K at that park district or at a private school or church. I know that other district offer Pre-K to non-disabled children(at a cost to those parents) because the law says that disabled children are to be educated with non-disabled children so I'm not sure how our district gets around that.

 

[HelenePA]

Yep Free and All day.. Aidan goes next year. That means only one kid in the house while all 3 are at school.

 

[LMN]

Here in Texas, I think most school districts only offer free pre-k for special needs or low-income kids. My youngest will be in pre-k in the fall; she will be attending a preschool at our church. My other 2 kids went to private pre-k's as well. I'm ok with having to pay for preschool. At least I only have to pay for my 3 kids and am not having to fund a state-based "free" system.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We don't have Pre-K in our area. You can send your child to preschool, but you have to pay for it. My DS went 3 mornings a week for that, but it's not through the school system.

 

[mlynn]

Just wondering if the norm is for Pre-K to cost money or is it free??

Some towns yes around here.But not my town. We don't even have full day Kindergraten.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

Pre-K is free here. Special needs automatically have a spot and then they have a lottery where they pick names out of a hat for the rest of the open spots.

 

[PaulaSue]

Heck no, no preschool is free around here. 3 days 2 1/2 hours is about $130 and 5 day 2 1/2 hours is $200. Worth every penny!

 

[NAB]

Actually, NAB, that's "here in Ontario" like Teresa Pitman said, NOT "here in Canada."

Here in Nova Scotia, Canada, free public schooling starts at Grade Primary, which is what we call kindergarten.

There might be a few funded pre-K programs provided for special needs children or in districts where a lot of children struggle in Primary... but most parents would have to pay for preschool.

I did not know this I just assumed it was across the board. So really you lose out on Junior k then. Which you don't really have to go too.

I think kids do miss out a lot if they don't go. Heck they start to read in Kindergarten now. Can't image how far behind you would be if you started in grade one unless you do a lot of at home stuff to get them prepared.

Every grade is moving so much faster then when we went to school that's for sure.

 

[ajk912]

You pay for pre-K. School isn't legally mandated until kindergarten so it comes directly out of the parents pockets if they want to send their kid. Around here everybody did.

Oh I should say that preschool, pre-K is free if you have a child with a special need. It's run by the local school district. At least in Ohio.

Same here in VA, except I think K is optional, too. Your kid will be in a world of hurt if you opt out of K though without homeschooling, and really, the kids who don't do PreK are at a disadvantage a lot of times, too. Unless the parents homeschool PreK and do a lot of socialization otherwise.

 

[quentina]

$1500 is what I will be paying come September. It is for 4 days per week, 2.5 hours per day.

 

[ORMom2Four]

It's not free here unless you are low income. Low income people can send their kids to Head Start for free preschool.

 

[hedgehog2owl]

there is something here called pre-k counts. It is separate from Head Start It is free BUT you have to go 5 days (half days) a week for 180 days, and meet income requirements (not hard at all. I think the max income for 3 person family was like 90 k/year). Most people who don't need daycare opt to pay for pre-k so their kid can go three days.

There was 10 kids in my dd's pre-k counts class this year that went 5 days, and 6 who paid but only came three days. the school had 3 other pre-k classes but they weren't free and they only met 3 days a week.

eta: people who work full time, tend not to use this program because they would need a full time program and pre-k counts in half day