May I Please Ask What Any of You Pay (Per Child) for Parochial Grade School Tuition?

[TwinMom7]

I've had my children in parochial schools for the past 20 years - and the last one of 7 is in the sixth grade. We had a HUGE meeting last night at our school, in order for the finance director to inform us about the "changes" for the upcoming year. I won't go into detail, but many people got up and walked out in the middle of the meeting. We weren't invited to give our opinion or any recommendations. We were "told" how things would be. I think that's what rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. That and the fact that the majority of the people on the finance committee no longer have children in the school.

They have now made it mandatory that tuition will be paid over 12 months, rather than 9 months - since the teachers are paid over 12 months. My tuition next year will raise nearly $500. I'm paying as much now for one as I did when I had 3 there.

Just wish my income raised in the same percentage.

Oh well, only two more years for us!!!

 

[Pembo]

Ds's tuition was paid over 9 months and it was $2000. You got $100 off if you paid it in full by the first day of school.

Our local Catholic high school is closing due to low enrollment. I think it was $4500.

 

[AirForceRocks]

I'm on our school's tuition committee, but I don't have the in-parish and non-Catholic rates handy. I know that the out-of-parish rates are $407/month for one child, $530/month for two children and $692/month for 3 or more children.

We have the option of paying lump sum or over 10 months.

 

[Markiesgirl]

This is grade school but 3300 for first child and 2900 for the 2nd. Books are $200 each and a 5% discount if we pay for the year by Aug. 1. Payments are July through May and in June the book fee for the next year is due....so basically 12 months of paying.

 

[Pin Wizard]

But you didn't tell us how much tuition you're paying! Only that it's going up $500.

DS has been in his school 6 years now. It started out around $2,900. Next year it's $4,100...JUST the tuition. Registration alone is $300!

I have information on a school in another state since I would have like to have kept him in a catholic school. Their registration fee is $80!! What a difference! FL is more expensive...at least this area. Tuition is $3,444.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez...My business school was $5,000 a year in 1983. The way it looks, I'll be sending DS to a public middle school when we move. Found a good one thanks to a fellow DISer!

 

[Belle1962]

When my son was in parochial school (MD) we paid #2,200 per year--and that was about 7 years ago.

 

[Lewski709]

Uh, twin mom....do your kids go to Corpus?

 

[Toby'sFriend]

My son attends a Lutheran school.

First child at the Elementary level is $1340 for Church members and $3180 for non members. 2nd child is $1010/$2390.

There are additional discounts for 2nd and 3rd children and 4th child is no charge.

High School is $3500/$5140
Registration is another $200 or so and there are some additional fees....lab and stuff of about another $100.

I expect tuition next year to rise about 5%.

 

[CamColt]

Its funny you mention this because DH was just telling me about his coworker's DD's Catholic school. Its going up a lot next year too.
I know the Catholic high school I went to(and my niece just got accepted to) is 6700.00/year, not including registration fee & books. They informed the parents thats just for the first 2 years then it will be up to 7000.00/year. I cant imagine what it will be by the time my kids get up there. I think Ill be saving that money for college.

 

[Christine]

My DD is going into 8th grade next year and her tuition will be $3400 per year (this is the non-Catholic rate). I think the in-parish rate is about $250 less per year.

The school was always on a 9-month payment schedule but we went to FACTS Tuition Management last year and now we pay over a 12-month period. I think the office was having SO much trouble with late payments that they had to go to this method. This year I am paying $288 per month but some of my fees were included in this so it doesn't depict the true tuition cost. I think our tuition will be going up about $200 over the next year. Our school also just decreased the "multi-child" rate (of course they did it THIS year--the same year I was going to send my son). So, our discount for having more the one child in the school has dropped quite a bit. I still think it's a bargain!

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by Christine
My DD is going into 8th grade next year and her tuition will be $3400 per year (this is the non-Catholic rate). I think the in-parish rate is about $250 less per year.

The school was always on a 9-month payment schedule but we went to FACTS Tuition Management last year and now we pay over a 12-month period. I think the office was having SO much trouble with late payments that they had to go to this method. This year I am paying $288 per month but some of my fees were included in this so it doesn't depict the true tuition cost. I think our tuition will be going up about $200 over the next year. Our school also just decreased the "multi-child" rate (of course they did it THIS year--the same year I was going to send my son). So, our discount for having more the one child in the school has dropped quite a bit. I still think it's a bargain!

Our school is looking at increasing the multiplier for more than one child. Currently, it's at 130% for two children and 170% for 3 or more children. We plan to gradually increase it to 150% for two children and 200% for three or more children. But it is going to have to be done very gradually, over 5 or more years, in order to keep it from being a huge jump in tuition in a short period of time.

 

[noodles]

We pay over 10 months or pay it all up front for a 5% discount. I believe for one child it is $3370 and I know for two it is $5070 a year. Our registration is $200 per child, but that includes a $25 class room fee for each child. Ours has gone up every year we have been there (5 years) and this year it is a huge jump with a second child there. I’m really afraid to see what it will be by the time our third is ready.

 

[nuke]

We paid $3200 for tuition and book fees this past year. They are expecting a 5% increase next year and we should get notified shortly.

My son's school is very small and the office is flexible. You can pay on a 10 month plan, total lump sum, or partial lump sum upfront and rest on the 10 monthly payments. First payment for next year's tuition is in May and then monthly Aug-April.

 

[Pooh93]

Our tuition is paid August thru May or 10 mos. (always bugs me to write out that check for August because the kids usually don't start school until the end of August) The parish rate is $205 for the 1st child and $70 for the 2nd child. (So, we are paying 2,750) I don't remember what it costs to add the 3rd and 4th child, but if you have 4 or more children enrolled, the tuition caps at the 4th child's price. (hope I didn't confuse you). If you don't contribute X amount of dollars to the church or support the school fundraisers, you have to pay the non-parish rate and it is substantially higher. There is a $150 book fee per child that is paid in full or partially paid at June's registration. The balance of any unpaid book fees must be paid by July 7. It depends on our fundraisers as to how much the tuition fluctuates. Luckily, it's only been $10 one way or the other. Our pastor makes sure to remind all of us on a regular basis that we are the lowest tuition parochial school in the are.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

We just got ours with the increase:
1 student $3500 or $292 per month
2 students $4800 or $400 per month
3 or more $5600 or $467 per month

Pre-K school for 5 mornings per week is $55 or $220 per month. Student not considered as 2nd or 3rd child enrolled.

So we are paying $512 each month! Gosh I kind of wish I hadn't figured that out!

 

[TwinMom7]

Well, I guess I won't complain anymore. Many of you are paying much more for one child than I am.

Our's will be almost $2700 for one child - spread out over 12 months.

...and yes, lewski - Corpus Christi it is. Were you there too?

I did call another local parochial school this morning, and the secretary there told me that her phone had been ringing off the hook this morning from parent from our school. She nicely gave me their figures - somewhat of a savings, but not enough for me to uproot my child for two final years.

Between two in college, one wedding this summer and #7's tuition hike - YIKES!!!

 

[Mercy]

My son is in a Catholic high school and the tuition is over $8,000 with books.

 

[LauraC]

Boy, do I feel fortunate! I have two children attending a parochial school affiliated with our Catholic church. For both of them combined I only pay $250 per month for 10 months. I think it is around $150 a month for only one child. Tuition caps at 3 children or more. We also have an $80 annual book fee for each of them as well. There is another Catholic grade school in our town as well and they charge almost identical rates. However, I must say that we are fortunate that part of the tuition is still funded by our churches. When I went to the same grade school in the late 70's, my annual grade school tuition was only around $50 for book fees only. In addition, my entire Catholic high school tuition (graduated in '81) was only around $120 per year for book and lab fees.

 

[Cruise04]

Ours this current year is $2245. BUT....we have a mandatory fundraiser we have to participate in and that is another $150 and we have mandatory bingo work we have to do our buyout at $175. If you choose buyout you have to pay it upfront. If you chose not to participate in the fundraiser, you have to pay upfront. We do have a computer fee of $10 and a registration fee of $35. I have no clue what this next year will be but I'm sure it's going to go up a good chunk since we have lost families this year (don't ask - long long long story and very sad frankly). Also if the kids want to participate in band that is another $40 a month. All this is payable over a 10 month time period with no fee credit if you pay early or up front. We do have a manna program which you purchase certificates and a percentage goes to the school and a percentage goes toward your tuition.

DD is going to go a parochial high school that is about 30 minutes from us next year and their fees are $4000 tuition, $275 for books which includes retreats and other things and $250 for building maintenance (or vice versa).

 

[Lewski709]

The Scrip profit last year was split between the tuition profit and the school and next year it just goes to the individual. While there was no opportunity to give suggestions, it was past that point. Decisions had been made. Nope, I don't work there. The Scrip is bologna, IMO. It's a hassle. I work with someone who taught there and we were just talking about fees yesterday, before the meeting. He came in and talked to me this am to inform me of the changes. I was complaining myself about another Catholic school's fees for K. I don't even know if we are going to send ours there or to public. I went to Catholic k-8 and while I was glad I did, I don't know how my parents did it.