Prices climbing for homeschooling.

[Mommy22alyns]

I think everything is getting more expensive lately. I also think that things get more expensive at certain levels - I expect to pay more for high school materials.

 

Some things are just outrageously expensive, especially for what you get. Not naming any names.

[...................]

 

 

Some things are just outrageously expensive, especially for what you get. Not naming any names.

 

Yes. When the books and guide cost 15% of going to an actual private school....

[DyslexicParent]

I have laminated a grand total of two things since buying my laminator, one of which is a multiplication table.

Thanks for that multiplication table link. I just used it to test DD who has dyscalculia (etc., etc.), and it took her 6 minutes with two errors.

 

Prices for interventions/treatments have gone up much higher than homeschooling materials. I'm envious of homeschooling prices compared to Orton-Gillingham/LMB tutors, dyslexia/LD private schools, neurofeedback, occupational therapy, etc.

[EmilyGF]

People wouldn't charge high prices for curricula if no one bought it. I think high prices show that homeschooling is now wide spread and some people homeschool who can afford to pay a lot for curricula.

 

That being said, most curricula seems reasonable to me, and when I choose to pay more for something, I expect more from it. I could use MEP, but I use RightStart. I like its philosophy more and I like that everything I need comes packaged with it. If finances changed, I would use something cheaper.

 

Also, there is a huge resale market. Publishers likely price products based on the expectation of resale, which of course makes it more likely for the original purchaser to resell it!

 

Emily

[airforcefamily]

I look at it this way: teachers may not make as much as they are worth, but they can at least make a living wage. If a writer puts out a quality product that people want, why shouldn't that writer also be able to make a living wage? At a dollar a book (if you want to go the traditional publishing route), they'd have to sell 40,000 books or so to do that (give or take what's livable in various areas of the country). If a homeschool curriculum provider is willing to take the risk to venture into producing curriculum full-time, not just as a hobbyist, and puts out a quality product that people want and need, I think they are just as worthy of living-wage compensation as a teacher. I've learned a lot from some of the curriculum providers--they've contributed to my education as a mother and teacher, as well as to my child's education.

 

It would be great if every single person who made a worthwhile contribution to education received a livable wage in return but it's not always realistic. Let's say my favorite 2nd grade social studies curriculum is well researched and was written by someone who spent a year of 40 hour weeks on it but it not very popular. It consists of, say, a teacher's guide, student book, and workbook. The author self publishes it at a cost to them of $20 per set. They want to make a decent income for their time and want to earn $40,000 for their year long effort (assuming they're not paying themselves for advertising, marketing, shipping, customer service, etc.). Now the author of this particular not-so-popular program takes orders and only receives 50 (for the sake of this hypothetical situation we'll say the people ordering are willing to wait and be told what the price will be after all the orders have been taken). Does that mean each customer should pay $820 so the author can end up with a livable wage for the time they put into it or should the author charge something more reasonable like $50 and only walk away with $1500 for a year's work (after publishing costs are paid)?

 

I know this whole hypothetical situation is unrealistic but I'm trying to highlight the fact that someone who is 'worthy of living wage compensation' isn't always going to receive it due to price levels the market is willing to tolerate.

 

Kind of an aside but I've noticed strange prices for many homeschooling items, particularly books. One well written workbook will sell for $8 while another equally well written one goes for $25. A great math card game set that is printed on regular colored card stock might sell for $20. Not to begrudge someone their profit but it's hard to happily pay someone 20x what something cost to make. I think some programs are on the verge of pricing themselves out of the market.

 

The difference between AAS/AAR and MM have been mentioned and, IMO, illustrate the situation well. Math Mammoth is a well researched and written program that sells as a complete set with hundreds of printable pages for under $100 when purchased via a coop. All about spelling (which we also own) costs $30 per level plus an expensive set of reusable materials. MM seems to sell more at a lower price, maybe they're both making the same money but MM is just more accessible?

[shawthorne44]

...Also, there is a huge resale market. Publishers likely price products based on the expectation of resale, which of course makes it more likely for the original purchaser to resell it!...

 

I wonder if that might be part of it. When it wasn't quite so easy to find used homeschooling materials, cost-conscious comsumers were likely to say "That is too expensive" and kept looking for something else. (And probably said so to the seller)

 

Now, even the cost-conscious will consider just about any curriculum because they know the retail price isn't really what they will have to pay. So, at a convention for example, they might continue to look through the books and walk away after saying to the salesperson, "That looks interesting."

 

Although, a few years ago I went back to finish my Engineering Masters. I was totally and completely shocked at the prices of textbooks, even used. It had been bad when I went to college 20-ish years ago. But, now it is just Highway Robbery.

[cloudswinger]

Yes. When the books and guide cost 15% of going to an actual private school....

 

But you are still saving 85% of the cost of going to a private school.

 

Costs are going up. Look at the cost of college. One study has it at almost 6 times what it was in 1985. Textbooks are ridiculous, some are over $200 per book. That's why there are sites that sell the international version of those textbooks for half the price. And I remember when paperbacks were about 1-2 dollars, now they're 7-8 dollars.

 

Knowledge is valuable, we live in a knowledge based economy. As the knowledge gets more specialized, there are fewer people who have it, so it's going to cost more to learn from them.

[lorisuewho]

 

For math, on the other hand, I have massively overspent on many things I've never used.

 

 

 

Why don't you just tell me what to use for math next year so I don't overspend :001_smile:

[Dmmetler]

FWIW, I have written online distributed curriculum materials for a professional company, and I'm not sure that company has YET broken even on what they spent for the project i worked on, by the time they paid my rate as a writer, for professional editing, for the web developers, for the audio folks and for publication rights on the audio and photos and graphics used, and so on. It's an EXPENSIVE process to put out new curriculum. And while I'd had the idea, in the back of my mind that, "Gee, there really needs to be a good, parent-friendly music curriculum for homeschoolers and co-ops. I could do that", having been involved with a professional product, and seeing what went into it and the costs involved has put that project on a super-back burner. Because, honestly, I couldn't afford to make something good and sell it for less than the professional company is selling the project I was involved with-and I'm guessing it would actually end up costing me more because I don't have the infrastructure of an established company to build on.

 

FWIW, I think at least half the units I've downloaded from Currclick violate copyright laws in one form or another-because a majority of online graphic sites, even those that are free for use, aren't free once you use them in a commercial product-and as soon as you redistribute it, it's a commercial product, even if it only sells for $.50 on Currclick or Teachers Pay Teachers.

[AimeeM]

But you are still saving 85% of the cost of going to a private school.

 

Costs are going up. Look at the cost of college. One study has it at almost 6 times what it was in 1985. Textbooks are ridiculous, some are over $200 per book. That's why there are sites that sell the international version of those textbooks for half the price. And I remember when paperbacks were about 1-2 dollars, now they're 7-8 dollars.

 

Knowledge is valuable, we live in a knowledge based economy. As the knowledge gets more specialized, there are fewer people who have it, so it's going to cost more to learn from them.

Even our local Catholic schools (far more affordable than most private schools) are 5K a year plus fees for K-8; the local Catholic junior high and high school ranges from about 7K - 10K (plus A LOT more fees). I consider my curriculum addiction, even if I spend 1K per year, to be a bargain. Lol.