I can't believe this

[klmama]

Our local schools are completely virtual for the first semester to protect everyone.  But guess who is providing daycare?  Yes, the schools.  So, kids can't be there for direct instruction, but they can be there for daycare.  Masked and at assigned desks.  With a teacher in the room to monitor them as they learn via laptop.  Granted, it's not everyone, but still....

[mommyoffive]

Yep.  Me too. They are doing something similar here. 

[alisoncooks]

And from what I've heard, many school systems are charging for this service. So you're doing public school AT the public school, but now you're paying a fee for it. 

(And I realize the supervising adults must be paid, etc, but I'd bristle at paying for an education that's subpar to what was previously free...)

[klmama]

Yes.  I suppose parents who need daycare would have to pay someone, but paying the schools for care during school hours so kids can learn via laptop just rubs me the wrong way.  Either it's safe to be there or it's not safe to be there.  

[RootAnn]

Our local school is on a 4 day a week, A/B model until Monday. Half the kids go 4 days this week & are home all the following week. But kids of teachers & paraprofessionals can be there full time. And all sports are on, including travel & tournaments. Shows you what is important.

On Monday, they go back to full, in person classes. Wheeeeeee!

[historically accurate]

3 minutes ago, alisoncooks said:

And from what I've heard, many school systems are charging for this service. So you're doing public school AT the public school, but now you're paying a fee for it. 

(And I realize the supervising adults must be paid, etc, but I'd bristle at paying for an education that's subpar to what was previously free...)

Daycare here is provided by the YMCA and the park district, so there is a fee for that (paid to Y or park district not the school). Some is in the school building, some is in community buildings around town, depends on your "pod" or whatever they are calling their 8-10 student group. They are supervising online school (making sure kid gets logged in/logged off) as well as providing outside time, games, crafts etc. 

School system is not charging if you need to use wifi in the school gym (50 people per gym spread across 9 school gyms in the district First come first serve). Parent of elementary students or a designated adult have to attend with the student to provide supervision, and the school can require it of middle schoolers. High schoolers are allowed to stay by themselves there unless disruptive. 

[EKS]

27 minutes ago, alisoncooks said:

And from what I've heard, many school systems are charging for this service. So you're doing public school AT the public school, but now you're paying a fee for it. 

That is totally ridiculous!  They were providing daycare for free before.  I mean, if you consider paying with your property taxes "free."

[NorthwestMom]

I am curious who is providing the daycare.  In our school system, many teachers are either over 40 or have a health condition that makes them vulnerable to covid.  On the other hand, many daycare staff are young women under 30, who may be less vulnerable.  Teachers and daycare providers do not perform interchangeable services.

[Ali in OR]

My guess is they need to pay new care providers. Teachers here are up to their necks with work doing everything online, solving tech problems, etc. I can't imagine the teacher I work with doing the online lesson and monitoring students on the side. But there is plenty of space in the school and we would like to get some kids in building--the ones who do nothing without supervision. But yeah, need to pay the supervisors.

[Not_a_Number]

Seems like a good idea so that kids with parents who work have somewhere to go.

1 hour ago, alisoncooks said:

And from what I've heard, many school systems are charging for this service. So you're doing public school AT the public school, but now you're paying a fee for it. 

(And I realize the supervising adults must be paid, etc, but I'd bristle at paying for an education that's subpar to what was previously free...)

I had a contractor here a month ago complaining to his assistant that he had received an email about a similar arrangement at his kids’ school.  I believe it was $250/week/child to go sit in the same classrooms that they wouldn’t let kids go to school in to do virtual school with an aid supervising.  He was pretty hot about it.  He said he could pay private school tuition at his local parish for that sort of cash and get a real teacher, in person. 

[Not_a_Number]

20 minutes ago, Mom2mthj said:

I had a contractor here a month ago complaining to his assistant that he had received an email about a similar arrangement at his kids’ school.  I believe it was $250/week/child to go sit in the same classrooms that they wouldn’t let kids go to school in to do virtual school with an aid supervising.  He was pretty hot about it.  He said he could pay private school tuition at his local parish for that sort of cash and get a real teacher, in person. 

That's really cheap private school. Where is he finding a private school that costs 4,000 dollars a year? 

ETA: Err, that should say 9,000. Which is still very cheap but no longer ridiculous. 

[sweet2ndchance]

8 minutes ago, Not_a_number said:

That's really cheap private school. Where is he finding a private school that costs 4,000 dollars a year? 

$250 a week would be $9000 for a 36 week school year, not $4000. And $9,000 a year would be low but not unheard of in our low cost of living area. 

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, sweet2ndchance said:

$250 a week would be $9000 for a 36 week school year, not $4000. And $9,000 a year would be low but not unheard of in our low cost of living area. 

Yeah, I can't do math today, sigh. I somehow multiplied by 4 and then by 4 again to try to multiply by 40. 

[Spryte]

I don’t think they should be charging for that.

 

I think our district has one school open for kids with poor internet access, but there is no fee involved.  SD and masking is required.
 

Our performing arts studio is doing a full  daycare program.  The kids arrive and do their virtual school, eat lunch, more school, then dance, music and theater.  I get that the studio is trying to stay viable and not close their doors,  but it’s too crowded for those of us who just want the usual classes.  

[Laurie]

My brother's grandkids go to daycare at the local public school that they would normally attend if schools were open.  They do their laptop lessons in the school gym, supervised by daycare workers.  Then they go to his house for after-daycare daycare until parents get home from work.  

They all seem happy with the arrangement...especially brother and his wife who were really not happy about having to supervise laptop school all day last spring since there was no daycare option.  

It's none of my business of course, but my brother and his wife are both in the higher risk group because of age and health conditions.   I'm not sure how this shutdown is helping the more vulnerable people like them when grandparents may have to be daycare providers for grandchildren who can't go to school.   

[EmseB]

Imagine supervising all these kids in classrooms or wherever while they are on their laptops learning from the very people who are claiming being around the kids is too great a risk. That must be a trip!

[SKL]

Interesting.  If it was included in the cost of public school, I would probably use it.  It would really be helpful for the kids to have actual teachers to guide and supervise them.  Hopefully the teachers had the choice and made an informed decision to accept whatever risk is applicable.

I think it is wrong to charge parents for this though.  It should be paid for like everything else at public school.

[Not_a_Number]

17 minutes ago, EmseB said:

Imagine supervising all these kids in classrooms or wherever while they are on their laptops learning from the very people who are claiming being around the kids is too great a risk. That must be a trip!

It's a much lower density of kids than in actual school, and I'd guess that people supervising have decided that they are willing to take the risks. You don't need as many of them, after all. 

[rebcoola]

Actually run by schools.  They are using some of the school buildings here but it's the people who run the after school care.  The portables are too small so they are using the school.  It's like 8 kids in pods grouped as families and max of 50 kids. 

[vonfirmath]

3 minutes ago, rebcoola said:

Actually run by schools.  They are using some of the school buildings here but it's the people who run the after school care.  The portables are too small so they are using the school.  It's like 8 kids in pods grouped as families and max of 50 kids. 

This sounds like the EDP camp they run here in the summer.

It is held at specific schools -- but run by after school care folk NOT teachers.

And yes it costs money (And cost money when they ran some at the beginning of the year while school was 100% virtual. We had grandparents helping us instead so didn't use it. But the cost is understandable. -- However, this WAS one of the arguments towards opening school. Those kids are going to be in daycare SOMEWHERE. It isn't like keeping the schools shut means the kids were locked inside their houses. My kid went to daycare all summer. When school started virtual, my parents helped us monitor so we could keep our jobs.

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by vonfirmath

[rebcoola]

I've seen people say if they can do this why can't they open school?  Space our classrooms usually hold 30 kids now have 8.  Their just isn't room to do even 50% of students.

[katilac]

2 hours ago, Danae said:

I think this is one of those things that sounds outrageous on the surface but really isn't.  

This. 

1 hour ago, Not_a_number said:

That's really cheap private school. Where is he finding a private school that costs 4,000 dollars a year? 

ETA: Err, that should say 9,000. Which is still very cheap but no longer ridiculous. 

You're in New York, yeah? It very much depends on where you live. Most of the Catholic K-7 schools around here are $3,000 to $4,000 per year. High school is $8,000 to $10,000  for the most part. I think there are some comparable Lutheran schools as well. 

There are some in the $15,000 to $25,000 range, maybe even more, but they are definitely not the only choice. 

42 minutes ago, rebcoola said:

Actually run by schools.  They are using some of the school buildings here but it's the people who run the after school care.  The portables are too small so they are using the school.  It's like 8 kids in pods grouped as families and max of 50 kids. 

Right, generally they are using the school building but not the teachers (who are busy the actual remote classes). 

[Not_a_Number]

6 minutes ago, katilac said:

You're in New York, yeah? It very much depends on where you live. Most of the Catholic K-7 schools around here are $3,000 to $4,000 per year. High school is $8,000 to $10,000  for the most part. I think there are some comparable Lutheran schools as well. 

There are some in the $15,000 to $25,000 range, maybe even more, but they are definitely not the only choice. 

I am in NYC 🙂 . I guess that makes sense for Catholic school price, but perhaps not for any non-religious school? I have definitely heard that Catholic schools are cheaper. 

I don't remember how much Austin prices for private school were... that and Toronto are my only sample points. I'm sure it's less if you go outside a big city. 

[katilac]

6 minutes ago, Not_a_number said:

I am in NYC 🙂 . I guess that makes sense for Catholic school price, but perhaps not for any non-religious school? I have definitely heard that Catholic schools are cheaper. 

Catholic schools are the most common by far in the New Orleans metro area. I'd guess easily five times the enrollment of others, and it might be even more than that. We have a very strong Catholic school tradition (and quite a few non-Catholics do attend). Probably 80% of our private schools are religious, Catholic and otherwise. 

[Not_a_Number]

2 minutes ago, katilac said:

Catholic schools are the most common by far in the New Orleans metro area. I'd guess easily five times the enrollment of others, and it might be even more than that. We have a very strong Catholic school tradition (and quite a few non-Catholics do attend). Probably 80% of our private schools are religious, Catholic and otherwise. 

Oh, very interesting. I think there were a LOT of religious private schools in Austin as well. 

1 hour ago, Not_a_number said:

Yeah, I can't do math today, sigh. I somehow multiplied by 4 and then by 4 again to try to multiply by 40. 

We all get a pass on foggy brain every now and then 😉

I have no idea exactly where this guy lives (friend of my brother’s) so I looked up the pk-8 parish right by our house.  For active members tuition is $6600 with 34% discount for 2nd, 41% discount for 3rd, 56%discount for 4th, 100% discount for 5th.  
 

For reference, private, independent elementary schools here are about 25,000-30,000/child so Catholic education is a good value around here if that is what you are looking for as it is subsidized by the parishes.

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, Mom2mthj said:

For reference, private, independent elementary schools here are about 25,000-30,000/child so Catholic education is a good value around here if that is what you are looking for as it is subsidized by the parishes.

That's the price point I'm used to. 

ETA: I also can't read today as well as do math. You already said "subsidized by the parishes." That makes a lot of sense, of course. 

Just now, Not_a_number said:

That's the price point I'm used to. 

I remember hearing something about why Catholic schools are so much cheaper... is it that the teachers need less money or are they subsidized or what? 

I am sure the teachers are paid somewhat less in Catholic vs. public schools because our PS teachers are unionized.  I don’t think they are significantly less paid than than the independent private school teachers.  The people I have known who teach at them do so for the tuition discount, not the money.  Most Catholic schools are willing to run larger class sizes (thinking non-Covid days here) than public or the exclusive private schools.  When I taught religious education pre-children I counted 33 desks in the middle school classroom that I was using.  Generally. the parish will subsidize school operations in their budgets.

[SKL]

As far as the cost of parochial school, my kids' k-8 was about $4,500 per kid last year, and I was not getting the church member discount.

I have seen some people switch their kids to private because the private schools are doing in-person while the public schools are remote.  I have also seen parents threaten to pull their kids out of private schools that dare to mention they might go remote.

Personally, I would consider switching schools a drastic change for my family, so I would not do it over what's been happening this year, so far.  But I observe that a lot of people don't feel that way about school continuity.

[Noreen Claire]

1 hour ago, Mom2mthj said:

I am sure the teachers are paid somewhat less in Catholic vs. public schools because our PS teachers are unionized.

In my experience, the pay differential is due to public school teachers needing to be certified and holding an advanced degree, and the Catholic school teachers needing to merely be Catholic. 🤷

[JessieC]

The afterschool program at our local school is not actually run by the school; the program uses school space but it is completely separate. This program is now the one that is running the daycare during remote learning, in the school cafeteria, and there are not many children signed up as it is pricy. At least in my area, that is usually how the childcare programs tied to the schools work--the school is not making any money from them, just allowing the space as a service to the families.

[mom2scouts]

4 hours ago, Not_a_number said:

That's really cheap private school. Where is he finding a private school that costs 4,000 dollars a year? 

ETA: Err, that should say 9,000. Which is still very cheap but no longer ridiculous. 

Our local Catholic elementary school charges $4,220 for one student for the school year with large discounts for siblings.

[historically accurate]

4 minutes ago, mom2scouts said:

Our local Catholic elementary school charges $4,220 for one student for the school year with large discounts for siblings.

I'm not in a high cost of living area, and I was curious, so I peeked at our local Catholic school's website. $7500 for members of the church, $8500 for non-members. Pay full price for first two students, more would only pay fees (which are about $700 on average the page said). Local protestant private school is $8400 with an average of $500 in fees (more traditional sibling discount of %age off per kid. Secular private schools (there are 2 big ones I looked at) are either $11,000 or $7,800 with additional fees.

My school district's agreement with the Y and the park district is $30 per day for childcare during virtual school. Which over 180 days would be $5400 which is a couple thousand cheaper than any private school in the area. 

[*Jessica*]

This thread made me curious to see what private schools here cost.  The two I hear about the most are over $11,000/year and over $15,000/year.  Jaw drop.  We do not live in a high cost of living area.  

[kiwik]

5 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

This sounds like the EDP camp they run here in the summer.

It is held at specific schools -- but run by after school care folk NOT teachers.

And yes it costs money (And cost money when they ran some at the beginning of the year while school was 100% virtual. We had grandparents helping us instead so didn't use it. But the cost is understandable. -- However, this WAS one of the arguments towards opening school. Those kids are going to be in daycare SOMEWHERE. It isn't like keeping the schools shut means the kids were locked inside their houses. My kid went to daycare all summer. When school started virtual, my parents helped us monitor so we could keep our jobs.

 

See here lockdown when the schools were shut did mean the kids stayed home.  Only one person from the family went out to shop once a week (unless someone was an essential worker) and everybody else was restricted to their properties or walking in their local area.  There were then a few weeks where you could get together with another family for care (my mother came to stay).  Then the kids went back to school full time.  If you are sending your child to daycare and going to work and everybody else at work and daycare is doing the same it is hard to see any great benefit over just having the schools open but keeping classes from interacting.  

I would quite like a system where instead of sending my kid to school I could send them to daycare a couple of days a week though.  Maybe when my oldest leaves home I will turn his room into a homeschool daycare for all the parents like me who couldn't find a job like mine.

[Shoeless]

The local religious schools are all charging around $5k a year.  There are a few church-specific private schools that go through grade 12, but you have to be a member of the church to attend.  There's a small Christian school here that charges about $3k a year, but I was really not impressed by anything they were offering academically.  The Catholic school's program looked pretty solid when I looked into it, but they only go through grade 8. 

If you wanted Catholic high school, you'd have to drive into San Antonio and pay $10K+ a year. $10K a year isn't terrible for San Antonio, but $5k a year would be rough for the average family here. 

 

[Tap]

I can't believe how inexpensive some of your private schools are! I compared 6th grade at a few schools. This is tuition only (not books, fees, uniforms etc)

The cheapest private I know of is almost $7000. Some certified teachers some are not. They are using Abeka and a mix of other curricula. Very, very small in an older church. 

Catholic is $8500. 

Middle of the road Christian $8500.

Premium schools are $19-30,000. 

[2squared]

6 hours ago, Noreen Claire said:

In my experience, the pay differential is due to public school teachers needing to be certified and holding an advanced degree, and the Catholic school teachers needing to merely be Catholic. 🤷

My kids attend a tiny K-8 Parish school. Tuition is about $2,000/year/kid. All the teachers are certified, and the ratio of advanced degrees is the same or more than our public school (varies each year as staffing changes).  When we hire at the parish school, we are not legally allowed to inquire about religious denomination, just like any other employer. Not all of our teachers are Catholic, but they would have an edge if the hiring committee knew. 
 

Our teachers generally choose Catholic school because they feel called to it as a ministry. They certainly aren’t at the school for the pay!

[bethben]

On 9/25/2020 at 10:19 AM, Mom2mthj said:

I had a contractor here a month ago complaining to his assistant that he had received an email about a similar arrangement at his kids’ school.  I believe it was $250/week/child to go sit in the same classrooms that they wouldn’t let kids go to school in to do virtual school with an aid supervising.  He was pretty hot about it.  He said he could pay private school tuition at his local parish for that sort of cash and get a real teacher, in person. 

This is exactly what is happening to my sister’s school in a Chicago suburb.  The private school is open for in person instruction.  There has been a slow steady trickle of new students into the school because the public schools are still not open at all.

[lynn]

Its a choice here.  Less than half are face to face. They can switch at the beginning of the semester.   My daughter loves it most of her friends are face to face with 1/3rd of the students present.  They do mask up.  I don't know how middle and elementary work.  However they did send a groups if students home because of potential exposure.  They are now virtual for 2 weeks.