Any ideas how to finance a Catholic-school education?

[milimac]

Interested if anyone has kids in Catholic school and creative financing / saving ideas. We have 2 kids (so far) and Catholic schools are about $300/month for the first and half that for any others. The oldest is coming up on 4 yrs of age.

 

[contemplative]

DH and I never spent money on vacations away from home while the kids were in Catholic school.

 

[Karin]

See if the Parish connected with the school offers Paishoner Rates.
I know that during the high school years (9-12) you can take out loans or get financial aid to cover the costs…at least here in NJ

 

[Maureen_Fiore]

I put two children through Catholic Elementary School and my last child is now in the 5th grade. I can say that it is definitely a sacrafice you make when sending your children to a Catholic School. The money I paid over the years I could have had a new Beemer (BMW) every other year. But, instead I drive a mini-van that is over 10years old. I believe in the Catholic School education and I think it is paying off just by watching my older two handle a public HS.
If you are struggling go to your pastor and he will work out a payment plan. They will never turn anyone away because of finances. We have many single moms who have children in our school and I’m sure they are receiving assistance.

 

[Karin]

Maureen I dont know where you are but here in NJ catholic schools will turn you away if you can not make the tuition payments…I have paid for several kids to reamin in school becuase their parents could not make the payments anymore and where told not to bring the kids back till they could!

Dont get me wrong, I do strongly believe in the Catholic school system as my eldest is just about done with High SChool and his younger brother will be starting school soon…all of my kids go to and will go to a Catholic School!
But I do think that more Catholics would be able to use the Catholic School system if collections on Sundays where a bit better!

 

[buffalo]

Maureen I dont know where you are but here in NJ catholic schools will turn you away if you can not make the tuition payments…I have paid for several kids to reamin in school becuase their parents could not make the payments anymore and where told not to bring the kids back till they could!

!

It seems those Catholic schools have lost sight of their mission.

 

[Karin]

It seems those Catholic schools have lost sight of their mission.

I dont think so but the $$ needs to come from somewhere to pay the teachers who mostly are no longer Nuns or Priests but Lay people and pay for everything else
I do think that the parishoners have lost sight of the concept of “giving” though!
In our Diocesse the “inner city” kids get handouts/ assistance etc. but those kids that do not live in the inner city have to struggle at times to make sure that the tuition payments are there each month!

 

[Maureen_Fiore]

Maureen I dont know where you are but here in NJ catholic schools will turn you away if you can not make the tuition payments…I have paid for several kids to reamin in school becuase their parents could not make the payments anymore and where told not to bring the kids back till they could!

Dont get me wrong, I do strongly believe in the Catholic school system as my eldest is just about done with High SChool and his younger brother will be starting school soon…all of my kids go to and will go to a Catholic School!
But I do think that more Catholics would be able to use the Catholic School system if collections on Sundays where a bit better!

I live in this lovely Garden State like you and I know only from my own experience that our school will not turn anyone away. Of course, you are not coming to this school without paying anything. They do expect something, but if you are strapped and the pastor realizes this and you are having it hard, our school will make exceptions and will ask “well how much can you afford”? I know this may seem wierd but it is true. The H.S. in my area is around $10k a year,too much for me. I was told that I can speak to the pastor and he will help but the Public High School that my two girls attend is an accredited school and they are happy there. But, even the Confirmation classes request you to register and pay $65 for the registration fee. But they don’t want to deter kids from receiving this sacrament so they say if this is a hardship they will make exceptions.

 

[Karin]

I live in this lovely Garden State like you and I know only from my own experience that our school will not turn anyone away. Of course, you are not coming to this school without paying anything. They do expect something, but if you are strapped and the pastor realizes this and you are having it hard, our school will make exceptions and will ask “well how much can you afford”? I know this may seem wierd but it is true. The H.S. in my area is around $10k a year,too much for me. I was told that I can speak to the pastor and he will help but the Public High School that my two girls attend is an accredited school and they are happy there. But, even the Confirmation classes request you to register and pay $65 for the registration fee. But they don’t want to deter kids from receiving this sacrament so they say if this is a hardship they will make exceptions.

LOL!!!
Sorry about that Maureen.
I guess your lucky then…as in Bergen County they assume you have money to live here.
Yeah my sons Catholic H.S. is running aroung $9000/year but we manage and IMHO it is worth every dime… especially when I look at the stuff that is coming out of our local H.S.

 

[contemplative]

This is a good time to remind folks to donate money to the Catholic schools you and your children went to. Catholic schools rely heavily on donations from alumni.

 

[buffalo]

I dont think so but the $$ needs to come from somewhere to pay the teachers who mostly are no longer Nuns or Priests but Lay people and pay for everything else
I do think that the parishoners have lost sight of the concept of “giving” though!
In our Diocesse the “inner city” kids get handouts/ assistance etc. but those kids that do not live in the inner city have to struggle at times to make sure that the tuition payments are there each month!

Some have not lost their Catholic mission.

This is the Wichita Diocese:

he Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Wichita is the second largest school system in Sedgwick County and the ninth largest in the state. There are 24 pre-schools, 34 elementary schools, 23 middle schools, and four high schools serving 10,553 students.
** The Catholic school system in the Diocese of Wichita is unique, we are the only school system in the United States in which parishes offer to the children of active Catholic parishioners a tuition-free grade school and high school education.** All Catholic schools in the diocese are accredited. In addition:
Every teacher is certified by the State of Kansas

• 90% of high school seniors enroll in college
• Catholic schools enroll more than 1,800 minority students
• Catholic schools enroll more than 2,500 students from low income families
• The Catholic schools in the diocese of Wichita are recognized as a leader in high standards, innovation, ongoing staff development, and especially for the stewardship way of life.

 

[Karin]

Some have not lost their Catholic mission.

This is the Wichita Diocese:

he Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Wichita is the second largest school system in Sedgwick County and the ninth largest in the state. There are 24 pre-schools, 34 elementary schools, 23 middle schools, and four high schools serving 10,553 students.
The Catholic school system in the Diocese of Wichita is unique, we are the only school system in the United States in which parishes offer to the children of active Catholic parishioners a tuition-free grade school and high school education. All Catholic schools in the diocese are accredited. In addition:
Every teacher is certified by the State of Kansas

• 90% of high school seniors enroll in college
• Catholic schools enroll more than 1,800 minority students
• Catholic schools enroll more than 2,500 students from low income families
• The Catholic schools in the diocese of Wichita are recognized as a leader in high standards, innovation, ongoing staff development, and especially for the stewardship way of life.

I think I need to move to Wichita…is there anything out there but corn fields though?

 

[Maureen_Fiore]

I dont think so but the $$ needs to come from somewhere to pay the teachers who mostly are no longer Nuns or Priests but Lay people and pay for everything else

I do think that the parishoners have lost sight of the concept of “giving” though!
In our Diocesse the “inner city” kids get handouts/ assistance etc. but those kids that do not live in the inner city have to struggle at times to make sure that the tuition payments are there each month!

In our school we no longer have religious sisters teaching the last order to leave were the Salesian Sisters. Once they left we received a notice telling the parents that the teachers were grossly underpaid and that we were going to receive a boost in our tuition payments. Well, it went up $100/mo on top of my normal amount but if hard times hits a family you can speak with the priest. Our parishers take care of the school as well as the church and we all seem to manage. Our enrollment increased this year than the previous.

 

[annb]

I think I need to move to Wichita…is there anything out there but corn fields though?

That is the catch, you have to live in Wichita! UGGGGGGGGgggg! (I lived there for a summer…ugggggggg!!)

To the OP…I don’t know, which is one reason we chose homeschooling through Seton.Otherwise I guess my other option would have been to go back to work. I would rather be home with my children and teaching them though, rather than sending them off to school. There are so many choices in homeschooling. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but if you hadn’t considered it, it may be more do-able than you think!

 

[puzzleannie]

Wichita has the right idea, stewardship and Catholic education go hand in hand. We put our kids through Catholic schools by belonging to parishes that had good stewardship programs, in fact, DH became part of diocesan leadership in this area and now is helping our new parish. Down here formal stewardship programs are unheard of and CAtholic schools, and there are only a handful, are struggling, and way out of reach for the majority of Catholic families.

Another option is have the grandparents help out, seems to be working for our kids.

 

[Katie1723]

I remember when I went to Catholic HS…$99/year. I had to pay it.Got a job paying $1/hr. When my kids went to Catholic HS tuition was $10,000/4yrs.Now I am not sure I could afford what used to buy a college education. That is a shame.
Kathy

 

[armywife]

Hey now… I grew up in Wichita.

It is not NY but it’s a nice size for raising a family (about 400,000 people). The cost of living is very low, comparitively and the city is large enough to have it’s own symphony, music theatre (that brings in all it’s talent from NY) and a lot of cultural things for kids to do.

I am a product of the catholic schools during tithing. My siblings are too, but before the diocese instituted tithing. Even the poorest inner-city school that is 65% hispanic brings in 10-14K a week. The wealthier schools bring in 75-80K a week and during Christmas is know to have brought in 500K.

Families give 10% to their parish, the parish gives 10% to the diocese and the diocese takes care of the schools who don’t bring in as much in their Sunday tithe. ALL catholic children get a very good Catholic education.

P.S. the tithing includes the high schools too!!

 

[Karin]

Hey now… I grew up in Wichita.

It is not NY but it’s a nice size for raising a family (about 400,000 people). The cost of living is very low, comparitively and the city is large enough to have it’s own symphony, music theatre (that brings in all it’s talent from NY) and a lot of cultural things for kids to do.

I am a product of the catholic schools during tithing. My siblings are too, but before the diocese instituted tithing. Even the poorest inner-city school that is 65% hispanic brings in 10-14K a week. The wealthier schools bring in 75-80K a week and during Christmas is know to have brought in 500K.

Families give 10% to their parish, the parish gives 10% to the diocese and the diocese takes care of the schools who don’t bring in as much in their Sunday tithe. ALL catholic children get a very good Catholic education.

P.S. the tithing includes the high schools too!!

Ok you guys have a theatre and symphony…what else is there in Wichita?
What are the jobs like? Are there jobs? What is housing like?
And isnt Wichita in Tornado Alley? What are the churchs like…orthodox or somewhere else?
I mean the school situation sounds great but if everything else is so-so there is no draw for me or my family

 

[armywife]

I would say the parishes are all orthadox. You won’t find liturgical abuses going on in the majority of parishes. And all the parishes I know of have 24/7 adoration, which I think speaks to the dedication of the parishners and priests.

I can’t speak to the current job situation as I haven’t lived there since I graduated from college (not on purpose, but see my username) but I do know that Koch industries, which is the #1 privately held company in the US is headquartered there. There are also the airplane manufacturing plants, I really can’t name everything but it does seem to be able to support the population.

Housing is cheap. Unless you are coming from Oklahoma… which is cheaper.

As far as tornadoes, there hasn’t been a tornado that hit the metro area in more than 15 years. Tornadoes happen every year, but mostly in the rual areas and I haven’t heard of anyone being killed in a long time.

 

[KCT]

I don’t know how people do it. I have a friend who has 5 kids - 4 of them are in Catholic schools. She and her husband spend 30K per year on tuition alone! God bless them! —KCT