Anonymous
Post 01/29/2015 11:34     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Anonymous wrote:I love that many of these complaints are coming from people who seem not to have children in an independent school.

You don't need to look up a school's 990 to know its budget (though it is fun to look at how much the head is paid). Just email the board chair and ask for the approved budget. Chances are they would be really interested in a conversation about what is driving up tuition.

I think we are the typical of full tuition paying independent school families in the Washington area. Ten years ago, I was middle management when my child started in JK. Tuition felt like a big stretch. Since then I moved from public service to the private sector and worked my way up the ladder to become a senior executive. My attorney spouse made partner. So over the course of 10 years, our income has grown several multiples (mostly) as a result of seniority and normal career progression. Tuition just isn't an issue now.

If you divorce, don't make partner, switch back to government or a nonprofit, this income arc may be impossible. But, I really think this my experience is representative of the vast majority of independent school families. There are still lots of us and our children's education is a completely guilt-free luxury we're happy to indulge.


It may be representative of the vast majority of the people in your circles, but it is not the vast majority of families in independent schools. But as someone said down thread, bully for you.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2015 11:07     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Anonymous wrote:I love that many of these complaints are coming from people who seem not to have children in an independent school.

You don't need to look up a school's 990 to know its budget (though it is fun to look at how much the head is paid). Just email the board chair and ask for the approved budget. Chances are they would be really interested in a conversation about what is driving up tuition.

I think we are the typical of full tuition paying independent school families in the Washington area. Ten years ago, I was middle management when my child started in JK. Tuition felt like a big stretch. Since then I moved from public service to the private sector and worked my way up the ladder to become a senior executive. My attorney spouse made partner. So over the course of 10 years, our income has grown several multiples (mostly) as a result of seniority and normal career progression. Tuition just isn't an issue now.

If you divorce, don't make partner, switch back to government or a nonprofit, this income arc may be impossible. But, I really think this my experience is representative of the vast majority of independent school families. There are still lots of us and our children's education is a completely guilt-free luxury we're happy to indulge.


Stop being a self-satisfied prick, take a step back form your own situation, and read some of the literature that is available on the subject that clearly shows a national decline in demand (take NAIS' word for it, not mine).
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2015 11:02     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Anonymous wrote:I love that many of these complaints are coming from people who seem not to have children in an independent school.

You don't need to look up a school's 990 to know its budget (though it is fun to look at how much the head is paid). Just email the board chair and ask for the approved budget. Chances are they would be really interested in a conversation about what is driving up tuition.

I think we are the typical of full tuition paying independent school families in the Washington area. Ten years ago, I was middle management when my child started in JK. Tuition felt like a big stretch. Since then I moved from public service to the private sector and worked my way up the ladder to become a senior executive. My attorney spouse made partner. So over the course of 10 years, our income has grown several multiples (mostly) as a result of seniority and normal career progression. Tuition just isn't an issue now.

If you divorce, don't make partner, switch back to government or a nonprofit, this income arc may be impossible. But, I really think this my experience is representative of the vast majority of independent school families. There are still lots of us and our children's education is a completely guilt-free luxury we're happy to indulge.


Bully for you, old chum. The schools aren't just looking for kids from your SES. The pain that people are feeling is real, even if you are quite comfortable. It is perfectly reasonable to be concerned and ask questions about the trajectory of cost - without being labeled as whining and without guilt for making the choice to attend, or otherwise. And for your information, as a recent former Trustee of one of these schools, we do not share the budget or any of the deliberations over salary or tuition increases publicly. Parents understandably view this as a bit of a black box.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2015 10:10     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
I love that many of these complaints are coming from people who seem not to have children in an independent school.

You don't need to look up a school's 990 to know its budget (though it is fun to look at how much the head is paid). Just email the board chair and ask for the approved budget. Chances are they would be really interested in a conversation about what is driving up tuition.

I think we are the typical of full tuition paying independent school families in the Washington area. Ten years ago, I was middle management when my child started in JK. Tuition felt like a big stretch. Since then I moved from public service to the private sector and worked my way up the ladder to become a senior executive. My attorney spouse made partner. So over the course of 10 years, our income has grown several multiples (mostly) as a result of seniority and normal career progression. Tuition just isn't an issue now.

If you divorce, don't make partner, switch back to government or a nonprofit, this income arc may be impossible. But, I really think this my experience is representative of the vast majority of independent school families. There are still lots of us and our children's education is a completely guilt-free luxury we're happy to indulge.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2015 09:41     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So if I have a child entering kindergarten at a school where tuition is 30,000 a year then 13 years later if the tuition increases by 4% a year I would be paying 50,000. Wow!
To the patents who have kids who are junior and seniors. How much is your tuition now compared to how much you paid 5 years ago in 7th grade and how much was tuition for kinder if you are at the same school?


DC in Pre-K in 2007 : Tuition was 24K
2015 DC is in 6th grade : near 40K


That's crazy. So if you have two kids there you pay 32,000 dollars more 8 years later? There is no way teachers are getting that kind of pay raise, and no way health benefits cost that much.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2015 08:36     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone here have transparency into the budgeting of these schools? Do we actually know what is driving the price up? Is it facilities or simply healthcare? Is it because they now need a computer and IT department they didn't need 20 years ago?


They have to file publicly . Is it called a 1099? I forget the name ( its the form non-profits have to file) It gives the breakdown on what they spend on everything


The form is the IRS 990 - it is a requirement for non-profits to file annually. Many schools in this area will have 990s available (http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/990finder/), although a few that are connected to religious institutions may not. 990s will show broad categories of income, spending, and assets, but may not be as granular as some might like in terms of school budgets. As someone who works in this universe, I would caution that a 990 is a snapshot in time and is a good data point, but it will not provide a complete picture. Still, they can be fascinating reads.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2015 00:40     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Anonymous wrote:So if I have a child entering kindergarten at a school where tuition is 30,000 a year then 13 years later if the tuition increases by 4% a year I would be paying 50,000. Wow!
To the patents who have kids who are junior and seniors. How much is your tuition now compared to how much you paid 5 years ago in 7th grade and how much was tuition for kinder if you are at the same school?


DC in Pre-K in 2007 : Tuition was 24K
2015 DC is in 6th grade : near 40K
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2015 00:38     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone here have transparency into the budgeting of these schools? Do we actually know what is driving the price up? Is it facilities or simply healthcare? Is it because they now need a computer and IT department they didn't need 20 years ago?


They have to file publicly . Is it called a 1099? I forget the name ( its the form non-profits have to file) It gives the breakdown on what they spend on everything
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 21:07     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
I agree that the model is not sustainable. It's like the schools are living in the same fantasy world we all did during the real estate bubble. Like our houses would just appreciate by 10% ever year forever.

By the same token, we are a full pay family with a HHI of over $750K but we still manage to a realistic budget and expect our school to do the same. It's tiring being treated as an ATM. Just because some parents can afford it is no excuse for a 4-5% annual raise. At some point people will walk. As for us, we're done after 8th grade.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 21:06     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
So glad I pay my kids tuitions via our taxes. Yikes- these are big numbers!
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 21:05     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Older child started in MS at $32K a year. As a senior, 5th year since starting private it would be $39,000+ next year (transferred to public). Sibling still there but may have to transfer, too.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 20:57     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
So if I have a child entering kindergarten at a school where tuition is 30,000 a year then 13 years later if the tuition increases by 4% a year I would be paying 50,000. Wow!
To the patents who have kids who are junior and seniors. How much is your tuition now compared to how much you paid 5 years ago in 7th grade and how much was tuition for kinder if you are at the same school?
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 20:43     Subject: Is your private having another tuition increase?
Appreciate the articles, very interesting and smart. Can anyone name a DC Private that has publicly discussed moving in such a direction, or even publicly admitting that the current sky-high model of tuition hikes is just not sustainable?
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 14:57     Subject: Re:Is your private having another tuition increase?
Also worth a read, if you have time:

http://www.nais.org/Magazines-Newsletters/ISMagazine/Pages/The-Best-Laid-Plans.aspx
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 14:48     Subject: Re:Is your private having another tuition increase?
I can tell you as a professional educator and a former official at the NAIS, the list of things being debated currently includes some of the items on this list. You would have to be naïve to believe that continuation of the current trend is sustainable.

http://www.nais.org/Magazines-Newsletters/ISMagazine/Pages/The-Independent-School-Financial-Model-is-Broken.aspx

Better decide for yourself what is important, because trees don't grow to the sky.