Anyone else spending ALOT of money on co-op?

[teachermom2834]

I am spending a ton on co-op next year. For my 5th, 3rd, and 1st graders I'm going to spend about $3000 by the time all is said and done with registration fees, course fees, material fees, etc.

 

Dh works a second job (online at home thing) to pay for their extracurricular activities and this will come out of that.

 

This is not a true co-op. It meets once a week. Teachers and rent are paid. Parents volunteer 16 hours each semester.

 

Most classes are academic- not just enrichment. The older students will have homework, tests, etc.

 

The kids love it. We've decided it's worth it. There is still a knot in my stomach when I add it all up.

 

I know most of you think I am crazy. I am just wondering if there is anyone at all out there that is spending this on a co-op?

 

It is taking some pressure off at home because some subjects are being completely outsourced this way. Kids love it and they are learning things I wouldn't be teaching at home.

 

Anyone else spending this much? Anyone care to make me feel better?

 

Marie

[Susan in KY]

That's not a co-op, it's a one-day-a-week school. IMO, $3000 is way too much for once a week, unless this includes tuition/books for the whole year and you are satisfied with once a week in exchange. Most cottage-type schools like this do at least 2 or 3 days a week for that price. I wouldn't call it non-profit, that's for sure! :tongue_smilie:

[bella_gitana]

My goodness! I don't even spend that much in curricula for two kids. I might be able to justify that expense for the higher grades, but not for elementary level.

[teachermom2834]

Oh- I know it's high. The prices per class are reasonable (IMHO) but not when you add up for 3 kids. There are the 3 day per week private schools around here but they are about $3000 per one child plus other expenses.

 

It's a big co-op, so there are definitely others spending that much. There are at least 5 or 6 co-ops in the area that are once per week that run at similar expense so I know it is not unheard of. I was just wondering if anyone on here was involved with something similar.

 

It definitely is more of a one day per week school for us as we are using it to fill academic needs.

 

I'm only spending about $500 for curriculum for all three next year so it is definitely more than I spend on that.

 

I guess I can't figure out how I feel about it. The teachers are good and take their jobs seriously and it is all very well run. The kids get so much out of it that we don't do at home. Obviously we've decided it's worth it to us but it's still ALOT of money.

 

I'm still looking for someone to tell me that it's not nuts :001_smile:

 

I probably won't find that here!

 

Marie

Edited March 29, 2009 by teachermom2834
It is non-profit for the co-op. The teachers make money and the church is paid some rent for the space.

[Pink Fairy]

I'm not involved in a co-op, but my children's lessons (2 in ballet, 2 in guitar) add up to about $3300 per year. The ballet is for 2 hours per week, and the guitar is for only 1/2 hour per week. So I'd say your costs for a full day of classes/activities per week for 3 children doesn't sound unreasonable to me. It's all about what your priorities are. If you can afford it, and it's benefitting your family, don't let it bother you. :grouphug:

[Jenny in Florida]

. . . I just looked up the fees for the large homeschool organization I know if in my area.

 

It's associated with a large Christian church. I can't quite figure out exactly what you do and don't get for each fee, but it looks like the basic enrollment fees are $250 per family, plus $300 for each student.

 

There are fees for each individual class on top of that, ranging from $375 to $95 for 30 weeks.

 

So, the way I figure it, enrollment fees for three kids plus one class for each would add up to a minimum of $2,275, and siginificantly more if you opted for one of the pricier classes.

 

Oh, and if it makes you feel any better, I spend well over $3,000 on extra-curricular stuff for one child, and that's not all he does.

[clementine]

I could never swing that much money :blush:

 

I am not really interested in outsourcing classes, but I'm wondering how much 'at home' work is required after that one day of co-oping? Do they get homework? Is it really 'worth' the money?

 

Not trying to be snippy, I'm just curious.

[snickelfritz]

Best I can figure up, it will run us about $1000 for the year for 2 kids. That's for 9-12.

 

We also considered doing a fine arts academy, which is afternoon only. I can't remember the exact figure for that. But with both programs, it probably would have worked out to be an equivalent cost per child as what you are talking about.

 

Now, I decided MY kids were too young for all of that. But, my OLDEST child will be in 1st grade. If I had the ages of yours, I would be more likely to do it.

 

 

I don't see the big deal of calling it a co-op, academic program, 1 day school, or whatever. If it works for you guys and your dh is fine with working an extra job to pay for it (which isn't negative, many people work extra to pay for activities).......then go for it.

[teachermom2834]

There will be plenty of at home work for the older ones. Oldest is taking a 2hr dissection class with homework/ tests, etc., an English class using Shurley that will have weekly homework/ writing assignments, a literature class that will have outside reading/ writing assignments, etc., a chemistry lab course that will have homework/ quizzes. I really am outsourcing science and language arts and just helping to oversee homework. So the upside is that I am relieved of my planning on those subjects and I am ready for a break on some of that.

 

The older 2 are taking classes from 8-3:30 and the youngest is going from 11:30-3:30. It is a full day of classes with just a half an hour for lunch. I don't think I would think twice about it if it were just for one child. It sure does add up, though.

 

Marie

[Mary in VA]

We have graduated one dd (college freshman) and have an 8th grade dd. We tend to spend more money on a co-op, just as you described, and online classes as they get older. In fact by the last two years of high school almost everything was outsourced for our older dd. Some families would have considered it too much money, but it was the right decision for our family. We think of it as school ala carte. We figure out the best way for our children to learn each subject. Of course cost does factor into it, but what we consider reasonable would not be reasonable to someone else. They both did take co-op classes when they were younger, but more was done exclusively at home.

 

We plan on doing the same for our younger daughter, because the older had such an easy transition to college. She was used to classes once a week and being responsible for getting her work done between classes. I oversaw everything and helped her when she needed it, but by the last two years she was really self-motivated. We knew it would translate well to college.

 

It also helped both of them to be accountable to another adult. They "stepped up their game" so to speak.

 

If these are the right classes for your children and you and your dh feel your family can afford it, then go for it!

 

Mary

Edited March 29, 2009 by Mary in VA

[Kathy in MD]

I'll make you feel better! :D If my ds was still in his private school, I'd be paying about $15,000 for 1 child for 5 days a week. That would be 3 times what you're paying per day of school.

 

And it sounds like it fits your family's needs well. Both you and your dh feel it's worth it, your dc enjoy it and they're learning things you posted that you wouldn't be teaching them. Best of all, you find that it lessens your load so that you're fresh for the classes you do teach. I say go for it.

[AuntieM]

Our co-op fees next year will add up to near that much - maybe 3/4 to 4/5 of your total, once books are included. This is for ACADEMIC classes, not merely "fun" enrichment. This year my oldest son has been taught by outstanding teachers, who have high expectations for work to be done to a high standard and turned in on time. It has taken a major load off of me during a time when I *really* needed a sabbatical! He has tracked all of his work time and believe me, even though he is only in a formal class setting 90 minutes per week, he has applied himself in each of his classes to the extent of earning a full Carnegie unit of hours. There's only one class I need to supplement to be sure he's earned a full credit, and that's one we consider an elective.

 

If my children were younger, I might consider it too much money. But now that they are at the secondary level, I see this coop as a valuable partner in those upper-level courses necessary earning high school credit. And I just don't want to be the one to teach DS Advanced Math and Physics. Nope, I'd rather enjoy teaching MMM Level K to my 4 year old, to me that's a lot more rewarding and fun!

 

For those of you examining and comparing based on a per-day cost, I have to tell you that our teachers, in addition to meeting with the kids once each week, are in constant email contact. DS's speech teacher recently attended a speech competition he entered -- it was not sponsored by the co-op school, and it was on a Saturday morning, so this was a bona-fide "extra." Another of his teachers organized the school-wide science fair and exhorted her students to participate. These teachers have enabled groups of students from this school to participated in campaign activities for last fall's elections, fundraising for an orphanage in Haiti, and days at the local food bank where the kids have not only brought in hundreds of pounds of donted items, but have worked to pack weekend food backpacks for inner city kids to take home on Fridays (and these kids would likely not get anything at home if they didn't take it home themselves...). I am happy to pay for instructors of this caliber and commitment.

 

I guess, in a way, it's like the housing market... the thing that really determines the market value of a house is what a buyer is willing to pay for it. If the co-op is valuable to you, and you are prepared to fund it, count your blessings! Sounds like the kids love it, too! Just be sure they let their dad know how much they appreciate his willingness to work those extra hours to make it happen for them -- extra hugs all around!

[Prairie~Phlox]

We meet every other week for 8 weeks in the fall & 8 weeks in the spring, $25.00 Registration fee and about $5-$10 class fee (three classes, three kids) I could never swing that much money either.

[3browneyedboys4me]

I believe that whatever works for your family is the right choice. ;) You are not crazy b/c you are spending money on the co-op. I've had my children in Classical Conversation for two years, and I have three kids! It adds up fast! We aren't doing it anymore, but I know what it feels like to spend a large sum of money on a co-op or support system.

 

 

Good luck!

[TravelingChris]

I fully expect to pay over 2000 homeschooling 2 children next year. No, it won't be co-op fees for the most part that costs that much but things like video class, online AP class, dual enrollment class, etc, etc. If you can affod it and it works for your family, do it. People may wonder why we pay as much as we do- it is worth it to us. I have a chronic diseases that makes it hard for me to do as much myself. Outsourcing some of the work makes homeschooling doable for us. Not only that, for highschoolers, I think it is really wise to have them get used to other teachers whether on a video, online, or in person. All of our children will be going to college (their plans) and having experience with expectations of other teachers before they get there is very helpful.

[teachermom2834]

I really do appreciate all the perspectives. I also love that there are so many ways to homeschool (I'm not one to get hung up on who is technically homeschooling).

 

I think it is going to be a great experience for the older ones. We have gone to this co-op for two years but next year we are ramping up the number and the rigor of the courses there. The 6th grader will have a lot to be responsible for and I think that's a good thing. I'm also looking forward to having someone else read his writing and I'm happy to take a pass on the dissection labs :) The 4th grader is going to be challenged as well and it will be good for him.

 

I think what I needed to do differently is not allow my youngest (1st grade) to participate just because we are there. It is fun for him and probably good to be in the classroom setting a little bit. It is not worth the fees I will pay for him, though. It's not something I ever would have considered for the others at such a young age. But we're there and one class turns into two classes and all of a sudden I'm spending more for him than I should. But it's all about tradeoffs. It's guess it's worth something to me not to have to entertain him all that time and I get to run some errands without him. Of course, his fees aren't nearly as high as the older boys' but it would have kept it down a little.

 

Two years ago I worked as a paid substitute and recouped a little of the expense that way. I may look into that again.

 

Thanks for all the input. I'm glad there are at least a few others who see these activities as worthwhile. I wish I didn't feel like we needed it. We could take a vacation for that $$$.

 

Marie

[G5052]

Ours is comparatively a lot of money too, but we get what we need to keep homeschooling with one day a week, all in one place. I couldn't keep the quality that high with family needs, my work schedule, etc. There's a lot of positive peer pressure there both among the kids and among the parents that keeps us going. A decent private school would be $12,000/year or more, and patching together local and online classes for everything would be at least double what the academic co-op charges with much more hassle IMHO. I'm not a fan of BJUP or A Beka DVD's for everything.

 

We went out of town all of one night in 2008, and won't go at all in 2009 unless there's a family emergency. Our house is frankly run-down, and "eating out" means local ethnic take-out once or twice a month. And I work part-time to cover the co-op, curriculum, one year-round sport, expenses for one field trip a month, and a few bills here and there.

 

And it's worth it!

[Tree House Academy]

I spend roughly $2000 for 7 months of co-op for two kids. They take 3 classes each and they are not "required" type classes, they are extra curricular. Then, if you factor in sports, 4-H, and all the other things they do, well, let's just say, the kids get a lot of extras...