Kindergarten Tuition Costs

[cgcw]

DS4's preschool is offering kindergarten next year. Instead of the 1/2 day program offered by the public school, this would be Monday-Wednesday-Friday, full day, 9-3. I've been interested in this program as soon as I heard about it. I feel there are a lot of benefits to having 3 full days and 2 days off of school. It's a Christian based program, being taught by DS's preschool teacher who is going through certification to meet the requirements and will follow our school districts cirriculum.

The parent meeting for this program was last night. I was very surprised to hear the tuition would be $350 per month ($3150) for the entire school year.

I would be just as happy with DS4 going to the public school. My older DS had the kindergarten teacher at this school and all these years, I've looked forward to my younger DS having the public school teacher. So, I would be okay with this.

What is appealing to me mostly is the 3 full days. I did read the thread a couple weeks back where most people felt full days were a good thing. DS hasn't napped in at least 1 1/2 years so him being alert in the afternoons would not be a problem.

I have no experience with private school tuition but I was surprised to hear it was this high. What I'm wondering about, is maybe it's not as high as I'm thinking it sounds. Does this sound like an average amount for tuition?? I realize that different regions will be impact the cost. I'm just looking for some input as to what others are paying.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Barb D]

My DD's TK (transitional Kindergarten for kids who are old enough but not ready for K) is $3400 for 5 half days. Really, it's not even half a day...just 2 3/4 hours.

We're doing public school for full day K next year. I'm looking forward to NO MORE childcare expense!

 

[debster812]

When DS atteneded a full day Kindergarten at his day care, (National Chain Center) he was there for 5 full days of K (M-F 9-3) and 3 days of aftercare (3-6). We paid $150/week. This was in a Southeastern Suburb of Boston

 

[tar heel]

That's cheap. We're in North Carolina where cost of living is supposed to be low, and you'd pay substantially more than that for an accredited K. You might get a price in that range for one that isn't.

One of our three went to private kindergarten, and we paid around $3,000. That school now charges DOUBLE that amount.

 

[jel0511]

Neither of my kids did private K, but my older DD went to a half day Pre-K program and DS is in another school and their Pre-K program is similiar to the K program you're mentioning. DD's tuition for the 5 day a week program (Half days) was $3,000. DS's program is running $4,250 this year, it's 9 - 2 Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Next year, I'm sure it will be more, since tuition goes up every year and that's when DS will actually be enrolled in that program. So, your costs sound pretty good to me!!!! An extra hour a day, and $75 less per month, I'd sign up in a heartbeat!!!

Edited to add: That the school that my DS goes to does have an accrediated K program that runs 9 - 3 and it's a 5 day a week program. They charge $7,000 for the year for it, so it's significantly more money that what you'll be paying.

 

[jrydberg]

Doesn't sound too expensive to me. I pay more than that in daycare costs for before and after school care. Granted that's 5 days a week, but only for an hour before school and a couple hours after school.

 

[Buckalew11]

We paid 1200 6 years ago for 1/2 day K 5 days a week. I think K is now 3000.

I'm not a fan of full day K though. Some people are, some aren't. It is just a matter of preference.

 

[gallaj0]

My daughter did fullday kindergarten, with afterschool in a national chain daycare/KG. Her tuition was about $300. a week. I was very happy when she entered public first grade, and that DS didn't like the chain so he gets to go to KG in public school.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I'm wondering what the class size will be for that amount?

We are also in Illinois. I pay around $4,000 Non-Church Member tuition for a full time 5th Grader at our Elementary School. Of course, our school has 2 fairly large Church Congregations in the town that heavily support the school through committed giving. Even as non Church members, that does help keep our tuition down.

I know that are much more expensive schools in the Chicago area, but honestly I would be reluctant to pay that much for a non-established program that doesn't have a proven track record.

 

[laurie31]

We only pay $1200 a year for dd's kindergarten, but it is a church school and the church subsidizes a lot of the costs. Most private kindergartens around here are more like $2-3K I think. My niece goes to private kindergarten in Atlanta GA and it's $5000/year

Laurie

 

[cgcw]

I'm wondering what the class size will be for that amount?

Class size would be a minimum of 8. A maximum of 20. Class size larger than 8 would enable an assistant to be hired from 11-3 each school day.

Our public school class size has also been about 20-23 kids. Full time teacher and teachers assistant, every day.


Thanks for the input so far.

Cindy

 

[princesspumpkin]

DD-8's private full day Monday-Friday Kindergarten costs were around $2200. 15 kids, two teachers in South Jersey. I am all for full-day kindergarten. I'm not someone who feels that kids should learn Calculus in elementary school, but I do think that we underestimte what children can learn at an early age. So, at 5 years, a full day of learning reading and math, I feel, is a great educational start.

 

[mum4jenn]

With the public school Kindergarten what are the hours and days for it?? If the public school is going 5 days a week full day then I woulfd not want to put my child in the 3 day program. There is no way they could learn the same things with 3 days compared to 5 days. With all the requirements of No Child Left Behind thee is ALOT that has to be learned even in Kindergarten. Even in 1st grade now they are learning fractions and some geometry!!

 

[4greatboys]

One of the church preschools I called around when trying to enroll Evan in preschool was $350 for 4 days a week 9am-2:30. So I would say its about average.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

DD1's private K cost $4500/year for 5 days 8-3. This did not include hot lunch, before or after care or summer camp/care. DD2 was still in teh "daycare" program at the same school which was $450/month all inclusive. When you added in the "extras" for DD1, it ran us about $13000 to keep both DDs there year round. Well worth the expense considering where we lived!

We just moved, and now I pay $225/week (works out to about $11000 for a full calendar year) for both DDs, all inclusive. DD1 will go to public school in the fall; one of the main reasons she is still in provate school is the public schools here only have a 1/2 day program. After 2+ years in a full day program (2 yrs of pre-K and start of K), I knew she would be bored horribly in a 1/2 day program.

 

[danacara]

Learning fractions in first grade? Kids can't divide in first grade. Sheesh.

 

[mum4jenn]

Yep....there are things first graders have to learn now that I know I did not learn until 4th or 5th grade!!. I was sub cashiering at my dd's primary school yesterday and when I went into a 2nd grade room to get the lunch money the teacher was going over things that I learned in 6th or 7th grade. There is so much pressure on them now to pass all the required tests.

 

[Buckalew11]

My DD wasn't learning fractions or division in 1st grade. Sometimes schools seem to jump ahead and kids don't learn the basics these days. For instance, have you read about the 4th and 5th graders who don't know there multiplication tables yet?? Oh, but they're doing geometry. Yeah, right.