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Becky J
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 2:31pm | IP Logged
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I am wondering if there are any moms on this board who have contemplated sending their kids to Catholic schools but were scared off by the cost.
My husband and I were thrilled when a traditional order of sisters opened up an independent Catholic school in our area last year. We have had our daughter taking religious ed. classes with them and couldn't wait to enroll her in their kindergarten.
But our jaw dropped when we received the tuition and fees information for this year. It's almost $5000! And there is hardly any discount for siblings. In contrast, the diocesan schools average about $4000 and have deep sibling discounts.
We are disappointed and discouraged that the sisters' tuition is so high. We assumed that a religious order might be able to charge less than diocesan schools (which have to pay lay teachers), not more. We also thought that, given that the order is "old-fashioned", they would try to be more affordable than diocesan schools so as to be able to attract Catholic families who can't afford diocesan schools (often because they have big families).
I think we will be able to come up with the money for our daughter to attend their kindergarten, but with two (so far) other kids, we have doubts we can swing tuition for all of them down the line.
Has anyone else encountered this type of situation? I know I do have the option of homeschooling, and we are fortunate that the public schools in our area are decent as well. However, it is still disappointing that this wonderful educational opportunity seems so . . . exorbitant.
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PDyer
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Our only Catholic education option here (other than homeschooling, of course) is the local parish school. They have significant sibling discounts. We have one child at the parish school and one child at home now.
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Patty
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 4:03pm | IP Logged
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Catholic schools are very high here.
My son attends a Benedictine boys high school that works hard to keep its prices down, but the tution is $9000 a year, plus books and uniform. There is no discount for siblings. That said, they offer many ways to help offset the tution. My son works in the library, and on the Christmas tree farm the monks own.
A new grade school opened here that I know many families in my homeschool group were excited about. Unfotunately the price out of most peoples ability. $4500 per year, plus books and uniform per child, no discounts and $500 per year in mandatory fundraising sales.
Personally I have a hard time justifying that much money for grade school.
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LeeAnn
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folklaur
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In our old diocese, there were scholarships available, that could cover a significant amount of the tution - but for parish schools - not independent ones (there was a lovely indepen. one similar to what you describe, but they were more $$$ than the parish schools, also. The Diocese Scholarships didn't apply to them.)
In our parish, the head priest wanted every parishoner who wanted to send their child to be able to attend, so there were also private payment plans, or trade-offs by volunteering, deep discounts for siblings, etc.
If we hadn't moved to NV, I would have seriously considered sending my children again (my son went for 1st but the 'Principal' and I really rubbed each other the wrong way. She left this past year, and I know of a few families who returned to teh school due to her leaving.... (My son had also gone for Pre-k and K, but that was at a different building, with a different Admin, and I loved her! and miss her terribly....)
But, the cost were just about what you mention, and seem pretty standard (they are even higher here in NV) - with only DH working, we got the scholarship, and we both volunteered (he ran sound for masses every week, all holidays, special events, etc) and we were still paying way more than we could really afford. It's hard. :(
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 4:24pm | IP Logged
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Diocesan schools where I live are $6K for elementary and $10K for high school. More than we can afford, if we want to send our children to college...and, ironically, enrollment at most of the elementary schools is down, so they aren't going to survive financially forever. What a Catch-22.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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PDyer
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Our parish school's tuition is less than $3K for a grade school (K-6) child. Three or more children in the same family attend for less than $6K.
7/8 grade is higher. The classes are substantially smaller than the grade school classes.
These are all parishioner rates BTW. Nonparishioners are substantially higher.
The closest Catholic high school is 45 minutes away with no transportation available beyond the family car. I have no idea what the tuition costs are there. I haven't investigated as the drive makes my kids' attendance out of the question.
Editing to add we live in the midwest, which makes a huge difference, I understand.
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Patty
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Mary G
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As the wife (and former teacher) of a Catholic school teacher, and a parent who sent her older kids thru schools (parochial and private Catholic) I understand what you mean about the "sticker shock". In black and white, the tuition seems astronomical.
But, please remember that many of the folks who work at these schools are usually committed to Catholic education and willing to take 90, sometimes even 80 percent LESS than what they'd make in the public sector ... and with longer hours. So the tuition is usually as low as they can make it.
That said, if you are truly interested in sending your child(ren) to the school, often the school will work with you to assure that happening. Often Catholic schools are willing to give scholarships, aid, or work-in-kind so folks can send their kids to school. So, I would ask ... it can't hurt!
Blessings and prayers to you and any others who might want their kids to go to Catholic school!
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MaryG
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my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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guitarnan
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Mary is right, you should ask. My niece attended her first year and a half of Catholic high school on a very generous sports scholarship. My SIL was able to afford the monthly tuition payments without too much trouble.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Mary G
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guitarnan wrote:
| Diocesan schools where I live are $6K for elementary and $10K for high school. More than we can afford, if we want to send our children to college.... |
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One thing you might want to think about is giving the kids a great grounding thru high school and letting them attain the college/university thru scholarships, grants, etc. Often, a great high school is worth the tuition if it helps focus the student and gets them the offers from great colleges. Just a thought (as we're in the throes of that now with daughter #2  !)
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MaryG
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chrisv664
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I am really surprised that here in Long Island where so many things are more expensive, that Catholic High Schools cost the same or less than other areas. We are paying a bit ore than 6K for our son to attend high school. Some of the schools even have scholarship or work study available for the students .
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Lara Sauer
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Cost is definitely a factor in why we homeschool. I have 5 children homeschooling this year, 2 in high school. If we placed our children in the diocesan schools, the cost would be approximately $36,000 per year for all 5 kids...even if they cut that in half with assistance, we could still never swing $18,000. Especially because that amount doesn't even begin to take books, fees, uniforms, fundraisers, sports, music, dance, etc lessons.
It is a bit disheartening. Particularly given the fact that Mary G. is totally right about their operating costs.
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Mary G
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This may sound naive ... or even a bit flip ... and I certainly don't mean that at'all, but if God wants the kids in school ... Catholic, private or public ... than that will be more than apparent to all of us who are constantly striving to do His will.
And ... if He wants it to happen ... it will -- and that means whatever needs to work out on the financial, family and social fronts!
Trust me, we've put 3 kids thru mostly Catholic school (with brief respites of homeschool) and now are looking at our three younger kids and figuring MAYBE we'll be able to swing it when they're high school age ... but definitely not before ... but then, again, if that's what God calls us to, so be it.
It's kind of like the sale of the house ... if it happens, GREAT! If it doesn't, we need to figure out what God is telling us.
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MaryG
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LisaD
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Our parish school tuition is $4900 for out-of-parish families and $3550 for in-parish families (must be registered at the parish and using weekly offering envelopes). Our two oldest attended there for two years, and in addition to tuition, there were 30 mandatory parent volunteer hours and several mandatory fund-raising events required, as well as uniforms, books and materials, and registration fees. It came out to over $4000 a year per child. The Carmelite preschool we used for a semester was about the same price, for three mornings a week. High schools in our diocese range from $9000 to $15000 a year. I don't know what we'll do come high school, but we have started investment funds to help pay for high school tuition if that is the route we choose to go (otherwise that money will go to college).
Right now we have a big sense of peace about the decision to take our kids out of Catholic school and educate them at home.
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~Lisa
Mama to dd(99), ds(01), ds(03) and ds(06)
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guitarnan
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I think it's great to have a Catholic alternative - homeschooling - if Catholic school tuition is out of reach or if we live where Catholic schools aren't available. How blessed we are!
This thread reminds me once again of how much God has blessed me - with Catholic schools, with homeschool opportunities, with Catholic educational materials, with these message boards - and I'm so thankful I can give my children a really solid Catholic education. What a priceless gift! 
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, patroness of Catholic education, pray for all of us as we strive to pass our beloved Faith on to our children.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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juststartn
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Well, there used to be a school here, but its been closed for years. Not enough Catholic school children (although there could be more if...well, don't get me started).
There was one in the parish in NC. Too expensive. No discount for siblings. And on an enlisted man's salary, we couldn't afford it. The public schools were right out, which left homeschooling--which suits us better anyway....
Rachel
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SusanMc
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You know, with all this talk about the expense of Catholic schools and the growing homeschool movement, I'm curious as to why there aren't parishes that operate a homeschool coop type program. Then again, I suppose some of these things would step on the toes of CCD. But really a simple Catholic lending library, and meeting space in one or two parishes per diocese would be great.
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Loren
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One of our four boys attends the local Catholic school. Tuition for a member of a supporting parish is $5,400. Then there are all sorts of fees, uniforms, fundraisers, and more supplies. All families are expected to volunteer and send in stuff for those fundraisers.
While I totally agree with Mary G that God will provide the means to follow His will (which is what we are doing by sending this boy to this school), the money thing drives me crazy. The school won't even help with tuition. We had to fill out a financial aid application that goes through a company halfway across the country who told the diocese to give us a very small break on tuition. Our priest is very pro-Catholic education, so when the application trickled down to the parish level we got a little more help.
What bothers me is that the school and diocese leave these determinations to a loan company half a country away instead of working with students' families on a personal basis.
On a side note, I have a friend in Nebraska who is sending her two to a Catholic school for $500 each. It's almost enough to make me want to move to Omaha. 
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guitarnan
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My parish has a co-op (I teach Church history this year!) - we grew by over 50% this year and now have a waiting list. We don't have any type of curriculum library or swap, though - just three classes, once a week, and a very large nursery. 
We do have to pay to use the church's classroom space, but it's minimal, really.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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crusermom
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I think the school the Sisters run is probably so pricey because it is not subsidized by a parish. I have found that sometimes these independent schools are more "flexible" on their tuition than a parish school.
We also have a parish nearby that runs a co-op that we use. But, they don
t have a school. I think that is the difference.
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Mary
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sewcrazy
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Mary G wrote:
Catholic, private or public ... than that will be more than apparent to all of us who are constantly striving to do His will.
And ... if He wants it to happen ... it will -- and that means whatever needs to work out on the financial, family and social fronts! |
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I fully agree with this statement. When we were praying about sending our oldest to high school, it became very apparent that it was the right decision. Every time that tutition payment has come do, the money has been available.
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LeeAnn
Wife of David, mom to Ben, Dennis, Alex, Laura, Philip and our little souls in heaven we have yet to meet
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Catholic schools $$$
