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 |  | Public Schools: Free + $2-200+ Fees |  | Private Day Schools: $5,000-$35,000+ tuition |  | Boarding Schools: $20,000-$75,000+ |
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Although many parents attended junior high schools that included seventh and eighth grades or seventh, eighth and ninth grades, both public and private schools now typically offer middle schools for sixth, seventh and eighth grades.
Typical costs: | - Public middle schools are supported by state and federal government funding and therefore don't charge tuition, but may charge fees ranging from $2-$200 or more per item for textbooks, classroom supplies, physical education, clubs, technology; or participating in sports or other activities. (Fee waivers are usually available for economically disadvantaged or homeless families.) For example, Newton Public Schools[1] in Massachusetts charges a middle school student activity fee of $60, or $100 if the student participates in drama, and an athletics fee of $160 per sport with a family cap of $480. Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202[2] in Illinois has middle school fees that range from $5 for a PE lock to $150 for text books, and includes $50 for interscholastic sports, $66 for chorus and $92 for band.
- Private middle school tuition can be $5,000-$35,000 or more, depending on the focus and teaching style of the school, whether it is religious or nonsectarian, the ratio of teachers to pupils, the location and the reputation of the school.
- Members of the National Association of Independent Schools[3] charge an average median middle school tuition of $19,449. At Tampa Preparatory School[4] in Florida, middle-school tuition is $18,340-$19,550, depending on the payment plan; Detroit Country Day School[5] in Michigan charges $25,600; and at Sidwell Friends School[6] in Washington DC, middle school tuition is $34,268.
- The National Catholic Education Association[7] estimates that the average parish tuition through eighth grade is $3,673. Saint Joseph Academy[8] in Bogota, NJ charges $7,980 tuition, or $4,100 if the family completes specific fund-raising requirements; tuition at Faith Lutheran Middle School[9] in Las Vegas, NV is $9,700; and Valley Christian School[10] in San Jose CA charges $13,991.
- Boarding school for middle school students can cost $20,000-$75,000 or more. The National Association of Independent Schools[11] reports that its members charge an average median middle school tuition for boarding school of $22,240. Landmark School[12] in Massachusetts, which focuses on students with learning disabilities, charges tuition of $64,200 for residential students.
Related articles: School Uniform, Before and After School Programs, Summer School, Elementary School, High School
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Additional costs: | - For working parents, before and after school care can cost $100-$500 or more a month at public schools (although it might be free for low-income students) or $300-$800 or more monthly at private schools.
- Private schools and some public schools require students to wear a school uniform. These can cost $25-$200 per outfit for a uniform of mix-and-match standardized clothing from a variety of retailers; or $100-$500 or more per outfit for specific uniform items from an official provider.
- It averages $2.08 to buy a public school lunch or $3.42 to bring a bag lunch, according to the School Nutrition Association. Low-income students may qualify for free or reduced-price 40 cents maximum) lunches. Some private schools include lunch in the tuition, or there may be an annual charge of $500-$1,000 or more. The Swain School[13] in Allentown, PA charges $955 for middle-school lunches.
- Parents may be responsible for providing transportation to a private school; or it can cost $300-$2,000 or more. For example, Ravenscroft[14] in Raleigh, NC charges annual bus fees of $360-$1,750, depending on the student's location.
Discounts: | - Many private schools offer a sibling discount for multiple students from the same family. For example, Saint Joseph Academy[15] in Bogota, NJ charges standard tuition of $7,980 for the one child, $11,760 for two children and $17,320 for three.
- BabyCenter.com lists tips for finding financial aid[16] for private school tuition.
Shopping for middle school: | - Tour the campus, asking about class sizes and educational philosophy. PBS.org lists tips for choosing a middle school.[17]
- Search for local public schools[18] or members of the National Association of Independent Schools[19] , National Catholic Educational Association[20] or Association of Waldorf Schools of North America[21] .
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External Resources: | - www3.newton.k12.ma.us/feebasedprograms
- www.psd202.org/schools/index.php?p=fees
- www.nais.org/Statistics/Documents/NAISFactsAtAGlance201112.pdf
- www.tampaprep.org/page.cfm?p=85
- www.dcds.edu/page.cfm?p=7584
- www.sidwell.edu/admissions/tuition-and-fees/index.aspx
- www.ncea.org/news/annualdatareport.asp#tuition09
- www.sjsbogota.com/tuition.php
- www.faithlutheranlv.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=110043&type=d&termREC_ID=&pRE...
- www.vcs.net/admissions/tuition-fees/index.aspx
- www.nais.org/Statistics/Documents/NAISFactsAtAGlance201112.pdf
- www.landmarkschool.org/admission/affording-landmark
- www.swain.org/admissions/tuition-information/kindergarten-8th-grade.html
- www.ravenscroft.org/page.cfm?p=24
- www.sjsbogota.com/tuition.php
- www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-get-financial-assistance-for-private-school-tuition_64...
- www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/choosing/elementary-middle/
- nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/
- www.nais.org/Users/Pages/SchoolSearch.aspx?src=footer
- www.ncea.org/news/SchoolDiocesanLocator.asp
- www.whywaldorfworks.org/05_FindASchool/?src=trakkware
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