Breaking a contract
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Anonymous
| Anyone successful in getting a school to let them out of the contract? Our job situation went from reasonably stable to really iffy overnight. Likely going to lose the primary income at the end of the month. Our best options for quick employment are out of the area. Feels like we are in a no-man's-land where tuition insurance won't cover unless DD starts at the school in the fall, and even then it's unclear if this would be a covered reason. It's a small K-8 school and we are a full pay family. |
Anonymous
| Sorry to hear that. Hopefully your Head of School will be understanding. Whether or not you will be successful and let you out is really dependent on them. |
Anonymous
| You can ask. Many schools won’t budge, but you lose nothing by asking. |
Anonymous
| You can usually break contract if you move out of the area for a job |
Anonymous
| Definitely reach out and discuss with the school. Like the prior poster, you lose nothing asking. |
Anonymous
|
What do the terms of your specific contract say? Did you get the tuition insurance? The people I know in this situation have had to use the insurance that required their child attend the first week of classes and then withdraw.
I don't know what happens if you have to relocate but I would imagine since this is not an uncommon or unheard of event that it would be covered in your contract. No one on DCUM can know what your contract says. |
Anonymous
| Some of the tuition insurance policies had terms intentionally updated this year to reflect job loss. However, I doubt that would include pro-active relocation to address possible unemployment. |
Anonymous
| What about asking for financial aid so you can stay? Is that an option? |
Anonymous
| Is there a waitlist? If they can fill the spot then they don't have any financial damages. That said, you'll probably lose any money that you have already paid. |
Anonymous
|
if the school can fill the slot with a full pay replacement, they aren't going to pursue the case.
"No harm, no foul". If this occurred on the first day of school and they couldn't make themselves whole, that'd be a different matter. |
Anonymous
| Have you talked to the tuition insurance people directly? That seems like your first step. |
Anonymous
Sometimes. “Usually” is a bit optimistic. This can be very school dependent, including whether school can fill that space immediately from a wait list… |
Anonymous
| Being able to get someone off waitlist is not enough. Our neighbor pulled out of a school contract in June a few years ago, and school was able to fill slot, but school did make her pay full amount. |
Anonymous
| Don't pay and let them sue you. 90% chance they won't do it and if they do make it a media story |
Anonymous
It's a great lesson to teach your kids! |