Bayt ul-Hikmah Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 How much do you charge? A mother of a rising 4th grader asked me to homeschool her daughter four hours a day, five days a week in the core academic subjects. We see eye-to-eye on methodology and curricula ideas (yay!), but I'm struggling to come up with a good rate. We live in the DC suburbs where cost of living is relatively high. The local Islamic schools, my only reference, are full-time but not outstanding academically and charge $450-$600 per month. All schooling will be done in my home. The mother will be purchasing all the books we need as well as a monthly materials fee for projects, etc. This fee also has yet to be decided upon. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I would charge at least $150/week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessedmom3 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 at least $200 /week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winoelle Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I didn't realize that one could homeschool other people's kids. Is this allowed in all states or just some? Noelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I just cruised online for some input here. Do you hold a college degree ? If yes, then your fee rises. As a non-certified teacher (publics), you justly could ask $25.00 per hour. For a Sylvan Center tutor (and I have no idea what standards they use), you would pay $10.00 per hour (don't know what state or city). Your work would include childcare. Would it include meals? (lunch) If you were to charge $15.00 per hour, you would be charging $300.00 per week. If you were to charge much less, and hold a college degree, you would ripping yourself off, I feel. $10.00 per hour, the lowest figure I found, still means $200.00 per week. The parochial school you mention maybe is like other parochial schools (Christian ones), whereby the mosque's annual budget includes heavy subsidy for the school in order to hold costs low enough that congregation members can afford to send their children to the school. HTH ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 It depends on the state. In GA, the law was recently changed so that a person who is homeschooling other people's children no longer has to have a bachelor's degree. A high school diploma is now sufficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renai Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 My fee is similar to the local private schools with the parent paying for all books and supplies. Basically I say "Tuition for the year is X and you can pay in 10 monthly installments of Z due on the first of the month". My contract includes language about bounced checks and late payments as well as a release for any medical or accident issues including a transportation release. I get copies of insurance cards and all of that just to be safe. Can you post or email me a blank sample of your contract? I would be interested in seeing how you do this. I have sample contracts of childcare, as I used to do that in my home, but this seems different somehow. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayt ul-Hikmah Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Thank you everyone for your input so far. I do have a college degree and I have a few years of classroom teaching experience as well. I don't want to undercharge but I also don't want to ask too much. I'm one of those people who really dislike money talk, but I have learned from experience that if I don't speak up I will be undercharged. I would love to see a sample contract! I've been working on one, but don't know exactly what to include. I'd love to hear more input regarding figures. More than $200/week seems like it very well could be a serious financial hardship for a lot of families, but breaking it down to an hourly wage makes that look like an incredible bargain. I charge $20/hour for private tutoring, and that is very low for around here. Homeschooling is so much more work than just tutoring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 It really just depends. My friend was paying me $650 per month. We live in a pretty low economic area too, so I would guess that you could charge considerably more there. The closest private school to me charges $3900/year (four day weeks). We are giving a significant discount for our first school year for my private school so you can't go off of that. Next year, it'll be a little over $4000/year/student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 $300/wk sounds like and awful lot to pay! That's at least $1200/month, over $10,000 for a 9-month school year! :ack2: Wow, I could never afford that, and would feel guilty charging that much! Do people really pay that much for only 4 hours a day? :blink: I must live in a Hick area, nobody would ever pay that amount! Last year I did a combination day care/Kindergarten for some people at church. She was here 9 hours a day, and when she first came she could sing the abc song and count to ten, but they were just abstract things to her. She didnt recognize ANY letters or numbers. She could write her name, and knew that was her name, but she didn't recognize those letters out of the context of her name. We worked with her (ds and dd helped) everyday, and by the end of the school year she was reading, counting up to 100 and doing some skip counting, among other things. I was paid $460/month for that. It was all the parents could afford, and they sooo needed it for just that one year. That amount of money helped us out too! She was 5, so not of school reporting age, so basically it was day care and some tutoring, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 This is something that I've wanted to do as well. Could you e-mail me a copy of the contract? My e-mail is lottidah27 at yahoo dot com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I am a certified teacher and have taught at a local private school in the Atlanta Metro area. I charge $6,000 a year for one family (for three days a week) and another family approached me and offered me $12,000 a year! This is a bargain compared to private school in our area. I am extremely professional and hold my students to very high standards so the parents have asked me to do it again (yeah!!) This income has made all the difference and I have really enjoyed teaching more kids. My kids like having other kids around - we can actually have recess and play kickball. Overall it has been an outstanding experience and I would do it for less - but don't tell my student's family. By the way when I tutor - I charge non homeschool families $40 an hour and homeschool families $25. As far as what you can charge - it depends greatly on what your clients are willing to pay!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I didn't realize that one could homeschool other people's kids. Is this allowed in all states or just some? Noelle It's not allowed in Virginia. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2abcd Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I am a certified teacher and have taught at a local private school in the Atlanta Metro area. I charge $6,000 a year for one family (for three days a week) and another family approached me and offered me $12,000 a year! This is a bargain compared to private school in our area. I am extremely professional and hold my students to very high standards so the parents have asked me to do it again (yeah!!) This income has made all the difference and I have really enjoyed teaching more kids. My kids like having other kids around - we can actually have recess and play kickball. Overall it has been an outstanding experience and I would do it for less - but don't tell my student's family. By the way when I tutor - I charge non homeschool families $40 an hour and homeschool families $25. As far as what you can charge - it depends greatly on what your clients are willing to pay!:001_smile: Is that family rate for one child or for several? I, too, would love to get a copy of your forms. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 The rates that I posted earlier were hourly rates currently charged in randomly selected parts of the country. I thought it was a good way for the OP to analyze what she was considering. As for a bill of $300 per week . . . Normally, tutors are not working 20 hours per week with the same client ! I didn't think it unreasonable for the enquiring parent to realize what she really was asking OP to do. (People generally think of homeschoolers as willing to settle for anything -- which insults the teaching profession, and the homeschool educator as well.) $300/wk sounds like and awful lot to pay! That's at least $1200/month, over $10,000 for a 9-month school year! :ack2: Wow, I could never afford that, and would feel guilty charging that much! Do people really pay that much for only 4 hours a day? :blink: I must live in a Hick area, nobody would ever pay that amount! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I didn't think it unreasonable for the enquiring parent to realize what she really was asking OP to do. (People generally think of homeschoolers as willing to settle for anything -- which insults the teaching profession, and the homeschool educator as well.)I totally agree with this! Someone wanted me to homeschool their child (it's not allowed in WA state I don't think), and didn't want to pay much at all---though she expected major returns! That was an easy no; I wouldn't have even if it was allowed! :tongue_smilie: I've been thinking of tutoring, but am not sure how to set prices OR how to advertise. I wonder if there are websites that give ideas for priciing for different areas? Guess I have to do some research---unless someone else has ideas.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jibaker103 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 The contract was really super simple, no lawyer speak or anything like that. I will be updating it and trying to make it cover more issues (live and learn!) this week. I will email a copy to the people who asked to see it but it might not be until later this week. Maybe you can avoid some of my pitfalls at least. Please send me a copy of your contract. Thanks! Jennifer Mother to Noah Age 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 In Indiana, you would be considered a Private School and teachers are not required to be certified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I have not made a contract with the families that I tutor - maybe I should. I have always told them that if a better oppportunity should arrive, I would understand. Both families own their own businesses and could relocate and I don't want them to feel obligated to pay me if they move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 It's not allowed in Virginia. Heather It is also not allowed in Maryland. Parent or guardians are only allowed to homeschool in this state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I have not made a contract with the families that I tutor - maybe I should. I have always told them that if a better oppportunity should arrive, I would understand. Both families own their own businesses and could relocate and I don't want them to feel obligated to pay me if they move. You could always write that in. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Because mine is a full-time student and tuition is due once a month exc. I felt the need for something in writing, but it doesn't keep them from leaving mid-year if they so choose. It simply means that we both agree to the terms of payment and what services are being provided. I would like a copy also! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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