How much is too much

[mschrank]

Sorry for implying you had money, I can only say that I make about 125% of the family average in the USA and that is only a little more per month, after taxes, as how much your kids school costs. I’d probably have to make double or even tripe what I make to afford that. So to me, you’re loaded.

 

[eliza3b]

When we had our three children in our parish school (elementary)we paid close to 12K per year for their education. On top of our outrageous property taxes in NJ, we were shelling out well over 30K per year. After my son finished 2nd grade with nary a mention of Jesus and a sub-par teacher, we saw the light and transferred them to public school. Honestly, for 12K per year, I’d rather teach them the faith myself than leave it up to the school.

Our parish school is struggling. The problem is twofold. The public schools are generally excellent here in NJ and our property taxes are extremely high. Most middle and upper middle class families simply refuse to pay extra for education. As far as I know, there are very few nuns left to teach the children. Our school was ordered by the Archdiocese to pay a “living wage” and beef up health insurance for the lay teachers. That’s all fine and good, nobody wants teachers to work for nothing, but the costs were simply transferred to the families via tuition. Then you have vocal members of the parish council that balk at “subsidizing” the school because less than 5% of the registered families use the school. Most of the parish children attend public school and there really isn’t that much left over to attend to their spiritual needs via CCD. It’s a huge problem and I really don’t see the “parish” school around here surviving more than 20 years.

 

[heathernoel]

Thank you for all the (name removed by moderator)ut! My neighbor was telling me that her children attend a different school for less than half of what I spend. She’s thrilled with the care the children get, and has said that just this month, 20 families from my parish have transfered their membership to hers.

I don’t want to end up doing that. But, neither can I continue to pay this amount and not save money.

We are by no means poor. BUt this cost is putting us there. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

 

[THutch04]

I never went to Catholic school, (I wasn’t Catholic in high school, and a really low income plus the extra $1,000 that the diocese charges for non-Catholics made it impossible). But the kids I knew who did go always complained about the tuition. I think in the Philadelphia diocese it was around $4,000 a year. Obviously the Catholic schools which weren’t affiliated with the diocese were significantly more (one was an all-boys school and at the time was a little over $10,000 a year). As far as I know, families weren’t given much of a tuition break unless they had multiple children enrolled in the same school. But after looking at some of the tuition on here…WOW the Philadelphia diocese charges nothing compared to that!

If parents are determined to make it work though, they usually find a way…through making sacrifices or simply choosing the school that is most affordable.

 

[PaulinVA]

So, those of you paying tuition for Catholic schools, why do you feel that what you are paying is not “too much?”

What factors do you take into account to determine you are getting your “money’s worth” from the tuition?

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

So, those of you paying tuition for Catholic schools, why do you feel that what you are paying is not “too much?”

What factors do you take into account to determine you are getting your “money’s worth” from the tuition?

Let’s see. Old School, where I was paid part time but did full time work, did not give me a break on tuition, even I was employed there. As a parishioner, we were expected to make weekly contributions, which we did gladly, 5% of our income in standard with diocese policy. However, I found out that there were 2 full time teachers who were NOT parishioners gotthe parishioner rate. That ticked me big time. Old School is charging $420 a month for 2 children at the parishioner rate. I hear they plan to raise tuition yet again, but not sure by how much.

It was an orthodox school. Stations during Lent, weekly rosary, May Crowning, all the things that go with “Catholic”. No teacher taught anything but what the Catechism teaches as far as religion went. Scholastic subjects were on track and beyond. The music program offered was weak, unless one was willing to pay more for the band teacher who came once a week. Sports were king, from fifth grade on, both genders! There was no art program, and no foreign language program. I manged to pull the technology program into the 21st century before I left.

It had a large parish center and physical plant that could have easily accomodated hot lunch. It doesn’t have that, partially because the business manager doesn’t want people using the parish center and wearing it out. The school building is made of cement cinder block, and direly needs air conditioning. Father and the business manager would not permit it. Some classrooms had window units, but in others it was stifling. The building was poorly cleaned. Extended care for kids above kindergarten was hit-or-miss.

Most of the teachers were professionals, but a few had some problems. Nobody stopped gossip.

At that point, enter New School at New Parish. New Parish is smaller than Old Parish in physical plant, about the same number of families. Tuition at New School is $360 a month. There is hot lunch. Kids are allowed to use the gym. There is air conditioning. There is nothing I can add to the technology program, as it is simply one of the best I have seen. There is an art program as well as a good music program. The faculty is more professional than the one at Old School, because of those few people who were allowed to be gossipy and obnoxious, ruining it for everybody. Field trips and commuity resources are a way of life at New School. And New School is every bit as orthodox as Old School, if not more so.