[Kailey's mom]

Christian, Montissori, Waldorf, etc. We are on a very fixed income, but I really really want to go the private school route IF I decide that I'm not going to be able to homeschool my dd. I'm currently trying to find an active Co-op with no luck. Is this something that is impossible unless one is rich

 

[beanma]

I think it varies by area, but I think $8000-10,000 would be a good ballpark. Some areas may be more and you might find a cheaper school. Many schools have tuition assistance or scholarships also.

 

[lach]

Between $4000 and $35,000, depending on location and school. Some may go cheaper, especially if subsidized by a church or something. I don't know of any elementary schools that cost more than $35,000, but I know of some that are in that range.

Most schools have some sort of financial aid, too.

IME, schools are pretty forthcoming about putting their tuition on their websites. It's usually under "admission and financial aid" or something like that.

 

[SomedayMom]

It totally depends on your area and the type of school. Around here, elementary school can run under 5K for some religious schools and up to 16K for non religious private schools. Secondary schools are more. On the coasts, I would expect the same schools to be 2x the cost. And yes, most of the schools we looked at had tuition information on their website.

 

[StrawberryFields]

Since you are open to a Christian school, if you are a particular religion or interested in joining a church, you might look into church-based parochial schools. My church has a K-8 school and it is $300 a year. I attended it as a child and we plan on sending my children there as well. The public schools in our area are not the best.

 

[Linda on the move]

many private schools have financial aid.

 

[RiverSky]

I live in SW Florida and the private schools here range from about $4500 a year to $20000 a year. The religious schools tend to be cheaper.

 

[ollyoxenfree]

We've seen private tuition from about $7,000 to $35,000 in the various cities we've lived in.

One thing to keep in mind is that the tuition is just the start. You may also have to pay for uniforms (may be $1000 or more for summer, winter, and sport uniforms), book fees, school sport fees, laptops (several private schools I know have laptop requirements for their middle school and high school students), music - instrument loan and instruction, expensive field trips (how do you say no when everyone is going to the special overnight leadership camp or the big city visit)...it's pretty endless. You may be asked to pay thousands more every year for these things. Everyone complains about extra fees at public schools these days, but I find they are still a pittance compared to private schools.

Then there will be the non-essential add-ons - if the other students all have iPods and cell phones and video cameras and portable DVD players and expensive dance/music/sport/art/etc. lessons and camps and international vacations - you can be sure that your child will be asking for the same things. Even birthday parties become an issue, if expensive, over the top venues and gifts are the norm. You don't have to provide these extras, of course, but the living standard will likely be set by someone in a different income bracket than your own.

Our strategy has been to find the best public schools with the best special programs (gifted, regional art programs) and take advantage of everything offered by our taxpayers. Then we spend fairly freely on private extra-curriculars, theatre, museum and art gallery shows, and travel. It works for us. I know that many people don't have a lot of public options, so it may not work for others.

 

[elmh23]

It depends. My daughter attends a Catholic school and I know the range here for Catholic schools is between $3k and $6k a year for the elementary/middle school years and the high school is around $11k. Our daughters is $4400. It is a sacrifice for us, but well worth it (public schools here are not an option!) and we're able to save for it through out the year. They also have a refund on the application fee (an additional $200 a year) if you pay by May 15, so we make sure to do that so we save something.

I looked in to a Montessori program briefly, it only went up to grade 3, and was $12k a year.

A lot of it will depend on where you live.

ETA: We do have to pay for uniforms (so far has cost us about $200 this school year, but we'll resell the jumpers in the spring and keep the shirts and pants for our sons to use when they attend, and I would have spent at least $200 on regular clothes anyway!) but everything else is included in the younger grades at our school. Starting in grade 5, we have to purchase gym uniform and the supplies become more (which happens in the public schools here too) but everything else is included in tuition. Oh, and our school doesn't do any HUGE, expensive trips until 8th grade, when they go to Washington DC for a week or so. A lot of the public schools here do (or at least did when I was a kid) that too.

 

[Drummer's Wife]

I agree that it varies greatly. You can call around schools you are interested and find out their tuition and if they offer any type of scholarship/assistance.

My kids are in a public Montessori, but for my 3 yo to attend the preschool there, it will be $6K a year, or $600 per month. I'm still trying to figure out how we are going to swing that... But the benefit is once he is 5, it would be free since it's part of the public schools.

 

[luv-my-boys]

It really varies on area/school. We move around the US (DH is military) and I have seen private christian schools go from $300 a month to 1500 a month. That a big difference but basically the "same" school. Plus most have out of pocket expenses like uniforms, book fees, registration fees and some church associated schools had a minimum church donations/tithing per month. For instance when we lived in the pac nw DS attended a school that was $100 a month for church members now a similar school here in CA would run about $800 a month for only 3 days a week and half the time.

Your best bet is to look into schools in your area and get a general idea of fees/tuition. Most schools have information regarding any financial aid or reduced fees or grants that might be useful.

 

[Linda on the move]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree One thing to keep in mind is that the tuition is just the start. You may also have to pay for uniforms (may be $1000 or more for summer, winter, and sport uniforms), book fees, school sport fees, laptops (several private schools I know have laptop requirements for their middle school and high school students), music - instrument loan and instruction, expensive field trips (how do you say no when everyone is going to the special overnight leadership camp or the big city visit)...it's pretty endless.

This is more true with some types of schools than others and more true of older kids (middle school and up) than with primary grades. It is something to ask about though!

Quote:

Then there will be the non-essential add-ons - if the other students all have iPods and cell phones and video cameras and portable DVD players and expensive dance/music/sport/art/etc. lessons and camps and international vacations - you can be sure that your child will be asking for the same things. Even birthday parties become an issue,

yep. I think it depends, too, on what kind of private school you are looking at and what your public school draw is like. I would think that this stuff might be less of an issue at a small inexpensive religious school than in a public school where the all families have lots of money. Some affluent public schools are a little freaky.

 

[Ellien C]

around here - maybe $4K for a religious private elementary school to $25K (? dunno) for top-notch private HS.

 

[beanma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree One thing to keep in mind is that the tuition is just the start. You may also have to pay for uniforms (may be $1000 or more for summer, winter, and sport uniforms), book fees, school sport fees, laptops...

ollyoxenfree, that may vary by area, too. I know my kids' private school has no fees beyond tuition. They do try to do fundraising and ask for contributions to the annual fund, but that's on an anonymous optional basis.

I haven't heard of any of the other schools in the area having fees, either, though they might. No uniforms in our area, unless the Catholic school requires them.

I think the issues with the laptops, iPods, international vacations is also a non-issue in our private school. There's no keeping up with the Joneses for us. I'd hazard a guess that that kind of thing goes on more at the public schools in our area. I know for sure there's more commercial media exposure there. We're sort of a hippie crunchy school.

 

[neptunemama]

My girls private school has no extra fees aside from tuition. They do ask for an annual donation, but there is no expected amount. They do ask that every family gives some $ b/c that does help when the school is applying for grants. Some families give $10, some give $2000.

Around here, the private elementary schools only have tuition and annual fund. Some of the private middle schools have fees for books, trips etc..., some don't. You see that more in the high schools.

All the private schools around here have financial aid. Usually the bigger schools have more to give, b/c their endowment is larger.

 

[eepster]

There is a huge range. It starts with half day preschools being as low as $1000 a year, and goes up to boarding high schools being $50,000 or more. The catholic HS my mom taught at was around $8,000 a year 5 years ago (when she retired.) DS's tuition for next year, if he goes into full time kindergarten at his private Montessori will be $10,500.

My DH went to very good private schools in Manhattan on full scholarship (both need and merit based.)

 

[Peony]

DD1's small private school is 4K a year, a steal IMO. It ranges from 4-9K in my area, very odd considering that housing, food, gas, etc.. is all very expensive but then pay is low. I guess the schooling costs go along with salary.

Anyway, there are a lot of extra costs involved, there is always a notice sent home saying that some scholarships are available for events but I don't know how quickly they get taken.

No uniforms but small amounts here and there. Money for class projects, skiing days, there is a overnight trip tomorrow which was only $25.00 a person! That was really cheap actually. There are several big fundraisers a year, some are sponsoring the students. There is a huge Christmas play that some things had to be bought for. Every family is expected to cook one hot lunch a year for the whole school, they give you $100.00 to do it but you still end up paying out of pocket.

DD1's school is very relaxed there is everything but Land Rovers to the beat up Subaru in the parking lot, the kids really do run from having parents that are millionares to the opposite end. It goes up to 8th grade and I have never seen a single iPod, that just isn't what is valued there. Because there is such a huge focus on outdoor education, no one dresses nice, everything just gets trashed. The nicest clothes I see is the winter gear when they go snowshoeing or skiing. I know this isn't the norm though.

 

[E.V. Lowi]

It started out at about 8000.00 per school year but now it's up to $45,000 per year. Couldn't do it without financial aid. Even with that, My dh and I live in rags and the house is falling down from lack of repairs. You just have to set your priorities. Thank goodness we are coming to end of it as dd will graduate HS in the spring. It's been worth every penny.

 

[velochic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.V. Lowi It started out at about 8000.00 per school year but now it's up to $45,000 per year. Couldn't do it without financial aid. Even with that, My dh and I live in rags and the house is falling down from lack of repairs. You just have to set your priorities. Thank goodness we are coming to end of it as dd will graduate HS in the spring. It's been worth every penny.

Man, that is scary that it went up so much. Dd's is $13K and we wonder how much more it will be over the years.

OP - dd's school is moderately priced, but they have a really great scholarship program (it's financial aid, but I don't know what the criteria are to receive it other than income). Most schools do have this, so I hope you explore that.

 

[cchrissyy]

This varies so much by location!

I'm in the CA bay area and my 3 kids are in different educational settings so we have really looked at lots of options to fit the right spot to the right kid's needs.
preschool is 1200-1500 a month *5-day, not a parent co-op
private k-12 is 2000 a month
afterschool care at the Y or community center for public schooled kids runs 400 a month.

I grew up an hour away from here and I called to check present-day tuition rates at the schools in my home town. my own preschool is still only 300-400 a month. so are the k-8 schools.

it works out to 4000 per years versus 20000 per year. honestly, I do believe there are quality diferences at play here, not just location. But location is a huge factor in costs. the average rent and home prices here are multiples higher as well. But there are financial aid/grants and all the schools insist the admissions process is need-blind, so just put in the paperwork and see what happens, don't be scared off by sticker prices.