Affordable private school - other than religious schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of the non-religious privates like the k-8are pricing themselves out of the market. Losing students to public schools because tuition is simply unsustainable. It’s now about $70k a year for two kids in lower school with the end nowhere in sight.

That's the frustrating part. Even $30-40K for one child. We'd love to go private and can do $15K comfortably for one child but there are not any schools that offer it. Some religious schools are more flexible than others but most aren't when it comes down to it.

They can’t do it with cost of real estate and salaries in this region. Only feasible for religious institutions that subsidize the operating cost to some degree.

Many k-8 schools have been at their locations for decades and thus shouldn’t have burdensome real estate costs. They can function on $30k yr per student. They had better because they will lose students if they go much higher. And then what? No funding for financial aid. No funding at all is more like it. They are already seeing people flee to cheaper options. Charging more won’t bring in more students.

PP- they aren't "losing students" by any stretch. There are loads of people who can pay. Just not you. You can thank the cost of living and the cost of health care for these prices.

Schools are service providers-- and ALL service providers costs have gone up while the cost of goods has come down over time. Pay a lawyer or a doctor recently? Same deal.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what grades you are looking for but the Primary Day School in Bethesda is for kids between PK - 2nd grade. Cost ranges between $21K - $27K depending on the grade. It is an incredible value for the curriculum. It focuses heavily on reading through the phonovisual method and has a great STEM program. I don't know any other private that teaches your kid 3 languages at the same time (Spanish, French, and Chinese.) If you are looking at the younger years, I highly recommend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are going to religious school too. And apart from facilities (Beauvoir really has no competition there) I believe the quality of education is similar and after middle school, know DS often attend top privates if they want.

Is Beauvoir [THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL] somehow not religious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you atheist?

What is this comment? You don't have to be atheist to prefer a non-religious school. We are Jewish and want a non-religious school because we aren't very dogmatic in our beliefs and find even Jewish schools to be stricter than we would prefer.

Anyway, I agree with those above about the K-8s. We are looking at a K-8 that is in the $25K range. We would consider $30K, but can't justify $35-40K at the K-8 level. Since we are looking for a non-religious school, that really limits our options.

I found Episcopalian schools rather light on religion. Maybe a bit more religious than the friends schools but not by much. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed that my 9 year old's knowledge of the bible after being in the school for years. I think may be once in a week they have a chapel service related to Christianity (if that), but most of the time they talk about character education. They do pray before meals but you can decline communion and certainly no classes on religion in any of the Episcopalian schools I know of. Actually, it is quite possible that it is more comfortable for a secular Jewish students to be in than the Jewish day schools in this area. A die hard atheist may not want their child to be exposed to any religion. I know of secular Jews and Muslims who are happy in Episcopalian schools.

Yes Episcopal schools are little different from secular private schools - including in their price tags. Episcopal schools tend to be some to the most expensive and prestigious out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are going to religious school too. And apart from facilities (Beauvoir really has no competition there) I believe the quality of education is similar and after middle school, know DS often attend top privates if they want.

Is Beauvoir [THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL] somehow not religious?

Beauvoir is Episcopalian and therefore really light on religion. Its nominally Christian but that is about it. Same for STA and NCS. I have kids on the close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you atheist?

What is this comment? You don't have to be atheist to prefer a non-religious school. We are Jewish and want a non-religious school because we aren't very dogmatic in our beliefs and find even Jewish schools to be stricter than we would prefer.

Anyway, I agree with those above about the K-8s. We are looking at a K-8 that is in the $25K range. We would consider $30K, but can't justify $35-40K at the K-8 level. Since we are looking for a non-religious school, that really limits our options.

I found Episcopalian schools rather light on religion. Maybe a bit more religious than the friends schools but not by much. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed that my 9 year old's knowledge of the bible after being in the school for years. I think may be once in a week they have a chapel service related to Christianity (if that), but most of the time they talk about character education. They do pray before meals but you can decline communion and certainly no classes on religion in any of the Episcopalian schools I know of. Actually, it is quite possible that it is more comfortable for a secular Jewish students to be in than the Jewish day schools in this area. A die hard atheist may not want their child to be exposed to any religion. I know of secular Jews and Muslims who are happy in Episcopalian schools.

I'm a diehard atheist and we have been looking at private schools. I've visited a few Catholic as we can't do more than $15 comfortably (we could do more but it would be a huge stretch and not saving enough for college) and there is a huge range of how they handle religion but few have flexibility. One pushed the kids to go to pro-life activities and not an environment, regardless of religion I want my child in. They really need some more privates in our area.

[Anonymous]

Friends Community School in Greenbelt is Quaker but quite light on religious doctrine. There is quite a bit of focus on Quaker values but that is mostly in Meeting for Worship and Big Meeting. The tuition for the lower school is well under 20k. A good mix of DC, PG County and Montgomery County kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of the non-religious privates like the k-8are pricing themselves out of the market. Losing students to public schools because tuition is simply unsustainable. It’s now about $70k a year for two kids in lower school with the end nowhere in sight.

That's the frustrating part. Even $30-40K for one child. We'd love to go private and can do $15K comfortably for one child but there are not any schools that offer it. Some religious schools are more flexible than others but most aren't when it comes down to it.

They can’t do it with cost of real estate and salaries in this region. Only feasible for religious institutions that subsidize the operating cost to some degree.

Many k-8 schools have been at their locations for decades and thus shouldn’t have burdensome real estate costs. They can function on $30k yr per student. They had better because they will lose students if they go much higher. And then what? No funding for financial aid. No funding at all is more like it. They are already seeing people flee to cheaper options. Charging more won’t bring in more students.

Longevity at a location doesn't necessarily mean low real estate costs. If you don't own the space, you would still be subject to rent increases when the lease expired and, likely, more modest increases year to year.

[Anonymous]

A school that charges less is going to be able to offer different things. Class sizes likely will have to be a bit larger, class offerings may be more limited, certain bells and whistles may have to be eliminated.

At that point, many people, particularly those not looking for religious education, would just assume go to public schools which are quite good in much of this area, rather than paying $20k+ for something that might be harder to differentiate from the free public school experience.

I am not saying this is right or wrong and some of the bells and whistles that increase costs may very well not be worth it, but I do think this is a factor to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you atheist?

What is this comment? You don't have to be atheist to prefer a non-religious school. We are Jewish and want a non-religious school because we aren't very dogmatic in our beliefs and find even Jewish schools to be stricter than we would prefer.

Anyway, I agree with those above about the K-8s. We are looking at a K-8 that is in the $25K range. We would consider $30K, but can't justify $35-40K at the K-8 level. Since we are looking for a non-religious school, that really limits our options.

I found Episcopalian schools rather light on religion. Maybe a bit more religious than the friends schools but not by much. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed that my 9 year old's knowledge of the bible after being in the school for years. I think may be once in a week they have a chapel service related to Christianity (if that), but most of the time they talk about character education. They do pray before meals but you can decline communion and certainly no classes on religion in any of the Episcopalian schools I know of. Actually, it is quite possible that it is more comfortable for a secular Jewish students to be in than the Jewish day schools in this area. A die hard atheist may not want their child to be exposed to any religion. I know of secular Jews and Muslims who are happy in Episcopalian schools.

I'm a diehard atheist and we have been looking at private schools. I've visited a few Catholic as we can't do more than $15 comfortably (we could do more but it would be a huge stretch and not saving enough for college) and there is a huge range of how they handle religion but few have flexibility. One pushed the kids to go to pro-life activities and not an environment, regardless of religion I want my child in. They really need some more privates in our area.

Catholic schools are very different than Episcopal schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you atheist?

What is this comment? You don't have to be atheist to prefer a non-religious school. We are Jewish and want a non-religious school because we aren't very dogmatic in our beliefs and find even Jewish schools to be stricter than we would prefer.

Anyway, I agree with those above about the K-8s. We are looking at a K-8 that is in the $25K range. We would consider $30K, but can't justify $35-40K at the K-8 level. Since we are looking for a non-religious school, that really limits our options.

I found Episcopalian schools rather light on religion. Maybe a bit more religious than the friends schools but not by much. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed that my 9 year old's knowledge of the bible after being in the school for years. I think may be once in a week they have a chapel service related to Christianity (if that), but most of the time they talk about character education. They do pray before meals but you can decline communion and certainly no classes on religion in any of the Episcopalian schools I know of. Actually, it is quite possible that it is more comfortable for a secular Jewish students to be in than the Jewish day schools in this area. A die hard atheist may not want their child to be exposed to any religion. I know of secular Jews and Muslims who are happy in Episcopalian schools.

Yes Episcopal schools are little different from secular private schools - including in their price tags. Episcopal schools tend to be some to the most expensive and prestigious out there.

There are a few smaller ones in MoCo that is much more affordable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you atheist?

What is this comment? You don't have to be atheist to prefer a non-religious school. We are Jewish and want a non-religious school because we aren't very dogmatic in our beliefs and find even Jewish schools to be stricter than we would prefer.

Anyway, I agree with those above about the K-8s. We are looking at a K-8 that is in the $25K range. We would consider $30K, but can't justify $35-40K at the K-8 level. Since we are looking for a non-religious school, that really limits our options.

I found Episcopalian schools rather light on religion. Maybe a bit more religious than the friends schools but not by much. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed that my 9 year old's knowledge of the bible after being in the school for years. I think may be once in a week they have a chapel service related to Christianity (if that), but most of the time they talk about character education. They do pray before meals but you can decline communion and certainly no classes on religion in any of the Episcopalian schools I know of. Actually, it is quite possible that it is more comfortable for a secular Jewish students to be in than the Jewish day schools in this area. A die hard atheist may not want their child to be exposed to any religion. I know of secular Jews and Muslims who are happy in Episcopalian schools.

I'm a diehard atheist and we have been looking at private schools. I've visited a few Catholic as we can't do more than $15 comfortably (we could do more but it would be a huge stretch and not saving enough for college) and there is a huge range of how they handle religion but few have flexibility. One pushed the kids to go to pro-life activities and not an environment, regardless of religion I want my child in. They really need some more privates in our area.

Catholic schools are very different than Episcopal schools.

Depends on your perspective. I spoke with a few and I didn't see them as very different. All required religious education and attend church services. However, the Catholic was 1/2 the price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you atheist?

What is this comment? You don't have to be atheist to prefer a non-religious school. We are Jewish and want a non-religious school because we aren't very dogmatic in our beliefs and find even Jewish schools to be stricter than we would prefer.

Anyway, I agree with those above about the K-8s. We are looking at a K-8 that is in the $25K range. We would consider $30K, but can't justify $35-40K at the K-8 level. Since we are looking for a non-religious school, that really limits our options.

I found Episcopalian schools rather light on religion. Maybe a bit more religious than the friends schools but not by much. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed that my 9 year old's knowledge of the bible after being in the school for years. I think may be once in a week they have a chapel service related to Christianity (if that), but most of the time they talk about character education. They do pray before meals but you can decline communion and certainly no classes on religion in any of the Episcopalian schools I know of. Actually, it is quite possible that it is more comfortable for a secular Jewish students to be in than the Jewish day schools in this area. A die hard atheist may not want their child to be exposed to any religion. I know of secular Jews and Muslims who are happy in Episcopalian schools.

Yes Episcopal schools are little different from secular private schools - including in their price tags. Episcopal schools tend to be some to the most expensive and prestigious out there.

There are a few smaller ones in MoCo that is much more affordable.

Define affordable. I consider $10-15K affordable. Others consider under $30K affortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you atheist?

What is this comment? You don't have to be atheist to prefer a non-religious school. We are Jewish and want a non-religious school because we aren't very dogmatic in our beliefs and find even Jewish schools to be stricter than we would prefer.

Anyway, I agree with those above about the K-8s. We are looking at a K-8 that is in the $25K range. We would consider $30K, but can't justify $35-40K at the K-8 level. Since we are looking for a non-religious school, that really limits our options.

I found Episcopalian schools rather light on religion. Maybe a bit more religious than the friends schools but not by much. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed that my 9 year old's knowledge of the bible after being in the school for years. I think may be once in a week they have a chapel service related to Christianity (if that), but most of the time they talk about character education. They do pray before meals but you can decline communion and certainly no classes on religion in any of the Episcopalian schools I know of. Actually, it is quite possible that it is more comfortable for a secular Jewish students to be in than the Jewish day schools in this area. A die hard atheist may not want their child to be exposed to any religion. I know of secular Jews and Muslims who are happy in Episcopalian schools.

Yes Episcopal schools are little different from secular private schools - including in their price tags. Episcopal schools tend to be some to the most expensive and prestigious out there.

There are a few smaller ones in MoCo that is much more affordable.

Define affordable. I consider $10-15K affordable. Others consider under $30K affortable.

Grace Episcopal and Christ Episcopal are both around 20k. Higher than 15K but way less than 30k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you atheist?

What is this comment? You don't have to be atheist to prefer a non-religious school. We are Jewish and want a non-religious school because we aren't very dogmatic in our beliefs and find even Jewish schools to be stricter than we would prefer.

Anyway, I agree with those above about the K-8s. We are looking at a K-8 that is in the $25K range. We would consider $30K, but can't justify $35-40K at the K-8 level. Since we are looking for a non-religious school, that really limits our options.

I found Episcopalian schools rather light on religion. Maybe a bit more religious than the friends schools but not by much. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed that my 9 year old's knowledge of the bible after being in the school for years. I think may be once in a week they have a chapel service related to Christianity (if that), but most of the time they talk about character education. They do pray before meals but you can decline communion and certainly no classes on religion in any of the Episcopalian schools I know of. Actually, it is quite possible that it is more comfortable for a secular Jewish students to be in than the Jewish day schools in this area. A die hard atheist may not want their child to be exposed to any religion. I know of secular Jews and Muslims who are happy in Episcopalian schools.

I'm a diehard atheist and we have been looking at private schools. I've visited a few Catholic as we can't do more than $15 comfortably (we could do more but it would be a huge stretch and not saving enough for college) and there is a huge range of how they handle religion but few have flexibility. One pushed the kids to go to pro-life activities and not an environment, regardless of religion I want my child in. They really need some more privates in our area.

Catholic schools are very different than Episcopal schools.

Depends on your perspective. I spoke with a few and I didn't see them as very different. All required religious education and attend church services. However, the Catholic was 1/2 the price.

None of the local Episcopalian schools have religion class that requires a child to answer theological questions. Most of them have chapel services in the morning and they do pray and sing praise songs in those. Catholic schools on the other hand have religion as a class and I presume that kids get grades for that as well. Episcopal schools tend to have much smaller class sizes than the Catholic schools that charge half the price. Most parochial schools have similar class size as the local public schools.