Constant Tuition Increases -- at what price point will you have to switch to public?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are at a private school in elementary. We love the school but feel like we just can't keep up with tuition. And I have this feeling of I wish we had started public and then gone private. It's so hard to go from private to public, I imagine, because then you know what you're missing...

OTOH, you might go public and be pleasantly surprised. That happened to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If tuition continues to rise at a multiple of inflation, the schools will ultimately go out of business. It may be 50 years from now, but tuition will outstrip demographics. From my point of view, one huge problem is that middle class families are underrepresented on the boards. If there were more families in the $200k range, the boards would have a stronger anti-tuition increase voice. I know that 200k is a lot but those are the people that feel the squeeze the hardest, too wealthy for aide and too poor to feel comfortable spending $30k a year.

I completely agree with your post. I know this is definitely the case at my school, where the board is made primarily up of stay at home moms or the dads of stay at home moms (which in my mind, represents only one demographic of the school). The absence of socio-economic diversity on the school board means that they continue to make decisions about the fiscal health of the school and it's future, without regard for the economic realities of most of the school's constitutents. I simply do not see how they are not going to eventually put the school out of business. OTOH, perhaps they factored in the reality that most if not all the people on the board can keep the school afloat on their own, so they really don't need the rest of us...

[Anonymous]

The rate of tuition increase might slow down if schools stop competing in terms of snazzy gyms and facilities. Then they would just be competing on teacher quality, labs and computer equipment. Don't see that happening any time soon, though, and it would require parents to stop looking for that stuff.

Or, more corporate donations? Some schools already get some donations. But from a corporation's point of view, donating $$$ to some private school just isn't as good PR as donating to a kid-oriented NGO, or even to a charter school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If tuition continues to rise at a multiple of inflation, the schools will ultimately go out of business. It may be 50 years from now, but tuition will outstrip demographics. From my point of view, one huge problem is that middle class families are underrepresented on the boards. If there were more families in the $200k range, the boards would have a stronger anti-tuition increase voice. I know that 200k is a lot but those are the people that feel the squeeze the hardest, too wealthy for aide and too poor to feel comfortable spending $30k a year.

I completely agree with your post. I know this is definitely the case at my school, where the board is made primarily up of stay at home moms or the dads of stay at home moms (which in my mind, represents only one demographic of the school). The absence of socio-economic diversity on the school board means that they continue to make decisions about the fiscal health of the school and it's future, without regard for the economic realities of most of the school's constitutents. I simply do not see how they are not going to eventually put the school out of business. OTOH, perhaps they factored in the reality that most if not all the people on the board can keep the school afloat on their own, so they really don't need the rest of us...

So Board reform? I'm all for it. Unfortunately, schools seek out well-connected people for the boards, or offer board positions as a reward for large donations. Either way, it limits the demographics of board members.

[Anonymous]

If you "despise" public schools, I would think this is a moot point for you, as I'm guessing that no matter what the price of private is, you'll pay it rather than send your child to a school system you "despise."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OTOH, perhaps they factored in the reality that most if not all the people on the board can keep the school afloat on their own, so they really don't need the rest of us...

Well, can they keep the classes full without the big name people. The not so wealthy are what these schools also need

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband + I both work FT -- have one child in private + struggle to pay the private school tuition. We live in DC and despise public schools. At what price point will you switch to public if you are paying for it yourselves w/o help from anyone?

What is it that you despise about public? In all seriousness, I have never heard anyone "despise" public. There are definitely features of private that many people prefer - and if they have the financial ability will chose private over public.

You need to figure out for yourself what is is about public that is so bad and decide what it is worth to you on an annual basis.

If DC Public schools are the issue - move.
If public at large is the issue - well get off your high horse or just suck it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you "despise" public schools, I would think this is a moot point for you, as I'm guessing that no matter what the price of private is, you'll pay it rather than send your child to a school system you "despise."

Or she could reexamine her prejudice against public schools. Not all of them are despicable. Unless, of course, OP is into something non-educational like status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you "despise" public schools, I would think this is a moot point for you, as I'm guessing that no matter what the price of private is, you'll pay it rather than send your child to a school system you "despise."

That's not true for me. I despise our public school but can't afford to move or fund a private tuition. We just deal the best we can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought the World Bank cut out the tuition benefit a few years ago?

The Bank pays a high percentage of the cost--like 75%. Some whine about this not being enough...even while living in houses that they paid 900k + for. They used to get a full ride in the 80's and 90's. Tuition were not so disproportionately high back then. Again, it the high end sports and underground parking facilities that are driving these insane costs up. Even the publics are doing it. The playground and track facilities at Horace Mann look better than my small private university's facility's did in the early 80's. College tuition was $14k a year my senior year at a top 15 school non ivy. Won't say the name , don't ask it would be too easy to id. Haverford, Middlebury, Trinity type school...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:@22:34 - My hubby works for the WB, and I just asked him this question. The Bank stopped paying for tuition for kids in the US years ago. If a family decentralizes (i.e. moves to one of the country offices), tuition may be partially or fully paid for. The IDB, on the other hand, does pay tuition for kids in the US.

This is not strictly true. I work for the World Bank and, as an international hire ( ie hired for a job that is advertised internationally, even though the applicant may live locally), non-US staff members receive a mobility premium. It is app. $32,000 per annum which more than covers my child's current tuition. This amount goes up anually but unlike the education allowance, it stops after 10 years. The Bank no longer calls the benefit an education allowance but it can be used any expense you wish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband + I both work FT -- have one child in private + struggle to pay the private school tuition. We live in DC and despise public schools. At what price point will you switch to public if you are paying for it yourselves w/o help from anyone?

What is it that you despise about public? In all seriousness, I have never heard anyone "despise" public. There are definitely features of private that many people prefer - and if they have the financial ability will chose private over public.

You need to figure out for yourself what is is about public that is so bad and decide what it is worth to you on an annual basis.

If DC Public schools are the issue - move.
If public at large is the issue - well get off your high horse or just suck it up.

This.

I find it bizarre that anyone (other than maybe Marie Antoinette) would say that they "despise" public anything.

[Anonymous]

Some people unknowingly use "despise" (with the meaning of "looking down on") when they really mean "detest." Could it be that the PPs don't look down on the public schools but just dislike them intensely?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some people unknowingly use "despise" (with the meaning of "looking down on") when they really mean "detest." Could it be that the PPs don't look down on the public schools but just dislike them intensely?

How can anyone dislike, despise, detest *all* "public schools"? There are thousands of public schools out there. How is it possible to feel this way about ALL of them?

[Anonymous]

I think people simply overstate the case. They can't dislike ALL public schools, but it's human to say it that way.