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News & ArtsMonday, February 13, 2012
Education / Money Seattle Public Schools Hike Kindergarten Tuition 15 Percent
Posted by Goldy on Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 8:03 AM
It's not just university students who are facing double-digit tuition increases due to budget cuts in Olympia. The Seattle Public Schools recently announced a 15 percent tuition increase for full day kindergarten. At most of Seattle's elementary schools, parents of children who do not qualify for free or reduced price lunch will be charged $2,720 for the additional three hours a day of instruction in 2012-2013, up from $2,370 in 2011-2012.
The irony, of course, is that for all the talk of education reform in Olympia and nationally, the one reform that we absolutely know produces positive results—universal preschool and full day kindergarten—is the one reform that we refuse to implement. Because, you know... it costs money. Instead, we're moving backwards, by making full day kindergarten less affordable for middle class families.
1
A $400 increase is a pain, but not insurmountable. Parents can cut back in nice-to-have expenditures and make up the difference.
5
@2: Well, you can gather signatures for yet another property tax levy (I'll sign), do a fundraiser (I'll contribute), or sit home and pout (I'll bring you Chamomile tea).
6
Joe - a few years back when the last of my kids was in kindergarten, the State funded 4 half days and 1 full day. SPS had full days and shifted money from other buckets to make it so. While it may have technically been "optional," everyone went the full day. It had been this way for years. Then the other buckets dried up and they started charging.
I believe my share was $150 a month for 10 months. That was five years ago. Looks like it has gone up since then, and if you start from a baseline of $0 (six years ago), and go to $2,720 in six years, that is a substantial increase.
I believe my share was $150 a month for 10 months. That was five years ago. Looks like it has gone up since then, and if you start from a baseline of $0 (six years ago), and go to $2,720 in six years, that is a substantial increase.
7
Earl Grey please (I prefer caffeine and a pinky out)
Fundraising and signature gathering sounds great (but in a two income family my time is better spent with my family)
I was just addressing your presumption that $400 is trivial. (Perhaps in Wallingford, or in my case Ballard, it means a couple of date nights missed. But the marginalization of low income families that just want the same for their children as I want for mine is disgusting.)
{[(and I only pout about the 34k/year that I spend on child care)(not the $400 increase for full day kindergarten)] Nested comments are neat}
Fundraising and signature gathering sounds great (but in a two income family my time is better spent with my family)
I was just addressing your presumption that $400 is trivial. (Perhaps in Wallingford, or in my case Ballard, it means a couple of date nights missed. But the marginalization of low income families that just want the same for their children as I want for mine is disgusting.)
{[(and I only pout about the 34k/year that I spend on child care)(not the $400 increase for full day kindergarten)] Nested comments are neat}
8
@3 and 4 - it depends on the state. In Pennsylvania, for instance, parents are not legally required to send their children to kindergarten. Of course, since the late 60s/early 70s, nearly all do, but a parent who chooses not to (or not to register as a homeschooler at 5) is within their rights.
10
Hey guys I spotted a mistake. Phoebe in Wallingford's posts say "Awesome Person" instead of "Repugnant Shit-Bird."
11
I'm not really clear on what the problem is. This seems like an amazing deal. It works out to less than $5 per hour* for the additional time in class, which is a screaming deal for child care. Plus the free/reduced lunch and sped kids get the fee waived entirely. Oh, and it's only for kindergarten. After they age out (usually in one year) then public school is free. Just how does our incredibly broken school system manage that? Maybe not so broken after all?
* cost figured as follows: a kindergartner goes for about 37 weeks (52 weeks per year minus 10 summer weeks, four weeks off for winter, mid-winter and spring breaks, plus I think they start a week later than the other kids) equals $73.50 per week for the entire extended day (not just the increase). At 3 hours per day, or 15 hours per week (most weeks), that's $4.90 an hour.
* cost figured as follows: a kindergartner goes for about 37 weeks (52 weeks per year minus 10 summer weeks, four weeks off for winter, mid-winter and spring breaks, plus I think they start a week later than the other kids) equals $73.50 per week for the entire extended day (not just the increase). At 3 hours per day, or 15 hours per week (most weeks), that's $4.90 an hour.
12
I'm not really clear on what the problem is. It works out to less than $5 per hour* for the additional time in class, which is a screaming deal for child care. Plus the free/reduced lunch and sped kids get the fee waived entirely. Oh, and it's only for kindergarten. After they age out (usually in one year) then public school is free. Just how does our incredibly broken school system manage that? Maybe not so broken after all?
* cost figured as follows: a kindergartner goes for about 37 weeks (52 weeks per year minus 10 summer weeks, four weeks off for winter, mid-winter and spring breaks, plus I think they start a week later than the other kids) equals $73.50 per week for the entire extended day (not just the increase). At 3 hours per day, or 15 hours per week (most weeks), that's $4.90 an hour.
* cost figured as follows: a kindergartner goes for about 37 weeks (52 weeks per year minus 10 summer weeks, four weeks off for winter, mid-winter and spring breaks, plus I think they start a week later than the other kids) equals $73.50 per week for the entire extended day (not just the increase). At 3 hours per day, or 15 hours per week (most weeks), that's $4.90 an hour.
13
@11 makes a pretty good point, actually. I was initially shocked, appalled, etc. But, that's really a pretty good deal. And the kids poor enough for reduced lunch don't pay at all. It's dumb that society can't do this for everyone, but this doesn't strike me as the worst news I've heard all week.
@10 - I notice that your posts do not say "awesome person" - is that the fact that you failed to donate, or an editorial decision on the part of The Stranger?
@10 - I notice that your posts do not say "awesome person" - is that the fact that you failed to donate, or an editorial decision on the part of The Stranger?
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