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 |  | Co-op Preschool: $250-$1,000+ annually |  | Standard Preschool: $3,000-$20,000+ annually |
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The differences between preschools and day care centers are not clear cut, but in general preschools are geared for toilet-trained children three and four years old (although some accept two- and five-year-old students); preschools typically have a part-time schedule of two to four hours a day, two to five days a week, and follow a school calendar of September to May, closing for holidays and school breaks (although some offer extended care daily and summer hours so working parents can leave their children all day). Day care centers typically offer all-day, year-round care; accept infants in diapers to school age children (for before and after school care); and may or may not have formal class time.
Typical costs: | - Preschool tuition can cost $3,000-$20,000 or more a year at either public or private schools, depending on location (preschools in New York City are typically more expensive than those in the Midwest); the length of the school day and the number of days attended per week; whether it's a 10-month school calendar or year-round; and the reputation and status of the school.
- For example, average preschool costs in Minnesota[1] in July 2012 were $157-$225 a week or $6,750-$9,680 for 10 months or $8,100-$11,616 for 12 months. West Maple Elementary School[2] in Birmingham Public Schools in Bloomfield Hills, MI offers several preschool options from $1,650 for a half-day, twice-a-week class for three-year-olds to $8,800 for a full-day program (8:45am-3:45pm) five days a week for four-year-olds. Catlin Gabel school[3] in Portland, OR charges preschool tuition of $19,200 for a five-hour program, five days a week.
- Parent-run cooperative preschools typically cost $250-$1,000 a year, depending on location, length of the school day and the number of days per week, but parents are typically expected to assist in the classroom on a regular basis, attend a specified number of school meetings and clean-up days, and actively participate in school fund-raising efforts. South Hill Cooperative Preschool[4] in Puyallup, WA charges tuition of about $270-$720 a year, but parents must assist in the classroom two to three times a month, participate in two to four fundraisers each year, serve on a committee or the board, participate in school cleaning days, attend fall and spring parent meetings and attend parent education classes.
Related articles: Day Care, Baby Sitter, Pre-Kindergarten Programs, Kindergarten, Nanny
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What should be included: | - In preschool, children learn to play well with others while developing early reading and math skills through fun activities, such playing with containers in a sand box, creating a craft project or listening as a story is read aloud. Many preschools follow a specific educational philosophy, such as Montessori[5] , Waldorf[6] or child-centered education[7] .
- The most common ages for preschool are three and four years old, and classroom are typically separated by ages, so there is often one room for three-year-olds and another for four-year-olds, although the ages may mix for outdoor play.
Additional costs: | - Many preschools are non-profit, and parents may be expected to contribute generously to various fund-raising efforts; this can cost $200-$1,000 or more annually.
- Preschools often have a number of extra fees, such as application, enrollment or re-enrollment fees of $50-$100 a year; material, supplies or book fees of $200-$500 a year; and field trip, activity or event fees of $50-$300 or more. The Swain School[8] in Allentown, PA charges a preschool activities fee of $245 for field trips, consumable books, a yearbook, supplies and the AlertNow home-school communication system.
- If the school day lasts longer than a few hours, parents either need to provide the student's lunch or pay an extra $30-$100 a month for a school-provided meal. For example, Sounds of Success Preschool & Learning Center[9] in Hawaii offers a catered lunch for about $50 a month.
Discounts: | - Paying tuition in full or in fewer installments may lower the overall cost, and some schools offer sibling discounts of 5%-25% for multiple children from the same family. For example, Grace Community Preschool[10] in Eugene, OR gives a 10% discount if the full tuition is paid by the first day of school (instead of monthly), and it offers a 20% sibling discount for a family's second child.
Shopping for preschool: | - Visit each preschool, observe how the teachers and children interact, and ask about the school's educational philosophy. Parents magazine explains why preschool matters[11] and PBS.org gives tips for choosing a preschool[12] .
- Search for local child care agencies through ChildCareAware.org[13] , which also lists family child care resources by state[14] .
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: RDWSR in Glen Ellyn, IL. | Posted: October 25th, 2013 03:10AM |
| School: Any |
10/25/2013
Why should Any preschool, cost be so much? |
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External Resources: | - www.childcareawaremn.org/families/paying-for-child-care/child-care-costs-in-minnesota
- westmaple.birmingham.k12.mi.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1613455/File/finalwestm...
- www.catlin.edu/admission/tuition-and-fees
- www.southhillcoop.org/
- www.amshq.org/Montessori%20Education.aspx
- www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/pre_and_k.asp
- www.newlearningculture.com/self-directed-learning.html
- www.swain.org/admissions/tuition-information.html
- www.sospreschool.org/tuition
- www.gracecommunitypreschool.org/about/tuition-payment-plans/
- www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/starting-preschool/curriculum/why-preschool-matters/
- www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/choosing/preschool/
- childcareaware.org/parents-and-guardians/parent-information
- childcareaware.org/node/1405
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