Sidwell tuition increase

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Sidwell tuition for the middle and upper school looks like it's similar to other schools only because, as a PP stated, the lower grades pay the same tuition as the higher grades. If they continued the typical practice of private schools, having the lower school pay less than middle school and upper school paying more than both, then the upper school tuition would be dramatically higher than for similar schools. This would make the school look bad.

What's worse for lower school parents and students, despite paying a much higher tuition compared to other lower schools, the class size is larger than most lower schools. Sidwell starts with a class of 24 to 2 , compared to less than 20 to 2 for most private lower schools.

With 80% of the total student population in the US/MS, I am not sure this is true. Inverted pyramid with 30-40 kids per grade in LS and 125 in a graduating class.

This is why some people look at sending their kids to a school that goes to 8th grade. 9-12 are resource intense when compared to the lower classes and suck up the money.

Understood. But your starting framework, no matter what point of entry, is that this is a luxury good. Plain and simple.

[Anonymous]

Private schools with tuition like this are definitely a luxury good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am disappointed that the Sidwell board has not lived up to their stated intent to keep increases under 3%. Even 3% is unsustainable, but having a target I thought was helpful. This year is 3.75%, last year was also over 3.

What statement are you referring to?

It was related to me in a conversation with the previous admissions director. I don't have anything else -- I had no reason to doubt him so I didn't research it. There may be nothing publicly stated about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Sidwell tuition for the middle and upper school looks like it's similar to other schools only because, as a PP stated, the lower grades pay the same tuition as the higher grades. If they continued the typical practice of private schools, having the lower school pay less than middle school and upper school paying more than both, then the upper school tuition would be dramatically higher than for similar schools. This would make the school look bad.

What's worse for lower school parents and students, despite paying a much higher tuition compared to other lower schools, the class size is larger than most lower schools. Sidwell starts with a class of 24 to 2 , compared to less than 20 to 2 for most private lower schools.

No. After K most privates are 14-18:1 so Sidwell's ratio and grouping structure is actually better at 12:1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am disappointed that the Sidwell board has not lived up to their stated intent to keep increases under 3%. Even 3% is unsustainable, but having a target I thought was helpful. This year is 3.75%, last year was also over 3.

What statement are you referring to?

It was related to me in a conversation with the previous admissions director. I don't have anything else -- I had no reason to doubt him so I didn't research it. There may be nothing publicly stated about it.

I hope you are right.

[Anonymous]

Potomac seems like a bargain now. Only, $39,770 next year for the high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Potomac seems like a bargain now. Only, $39,770 next year for the high school.

If you do the neighborhood bus the cost is the same as Sidwell so not sure what your point here is. The difference is 1K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either Sidwell is spending extravagantly or just overcharging families.

Or, this is the cost of the set of services, including choices about experience level of faculty, that are a part of their value proposition to customers. It is a free market proposition.

I've seen their course catalogue -- really impressive breadth of offerings for a school with 500 students in the Upper School. More course offerings and smaller class sizes also mean more teachers which costs more $$$$$.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if tuition remission and/or financial aid for staff and administration could account for part of the increase?

No.

[Anonymous]

I really feel for the families for whom private school tuition is a big sacrifice - that is, if there are any families left at privates who fit that description.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about tuition discounts/remission for teachers? Is that a factor?

Does not exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Remember that when you calculate costs for employees you need to add an additional 20% to the salary to account for payroll tax and benefits costs.

A more common figure for benefits costs is 30%+, especially at places where benefits tend towards the generous side (i.e., not McDonalds/WalMart store managers).

This is a good point. To follow up on it some, private school teachers don't actually have benefits packages "towards the generous side" as a rule of thumb, I think -- with the biggest difference being that any sort of pension plan is quite rare (as opposed to for public school employees who often have some sort of state pension plan participation). Some schools have 401K matching but that's not nearly as expensive as a pension plan.

I believe I've seen a 22% figure for private schools in this area, but perhaps with rising health care costs the number is getting closer to 30%. Just so people understand, the 22% figure includes the employer mandatory federal payroll tax for social security and Medicare -- close to 8% of the employee salary.

+1

Private school benefits are bare-boned. Expensive healthcare insurance, and no pension.

No tuition discount or remission, either.

[Anonymous]

Teachers do get a 50 percent discount at the big 5 I believe.

[Anonymous]

At our big-3, teachers get financial aid just like any other family. That works out a pretty massive tuition "remission" if the family's income is fairly low. The average amount of annual aid is around $25,000. Average, across the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, and maybe I will regret this reaction in a few years when I'm paying tuition myself, but HAHAHAHBABABABABHAHA! It's a tricky game when you get in bed with a private school. They indoctrinate you in their ways, convince you that there is really no comparable alternative, then jack up the prices. It's brilliant actually. Admirable in their psychological manipulation.

I have no idea what you are talking about. I, and all of my parent peers, freely pay the money because we feel it is the best suited for our children, regardless of the warts we all know exist.