Private Schools Cost Significantly Less Than Public Schools

Michigan Capitol Confidential ^ | 6/4/2016 | Jacob Weaver

[Grampa Dave]

You are correct in most instances.

Our public schools have become so bad, so/so private schools are charging an arm and a leg due to the high demand. They have waiting lists of students, whose parents are willing to pay 20,000 $ +, just to get their kids out of public schools.

Another example, this time a K - 8 school.

Tuition & Fees: 2015-2016 School Year Blue Oak School

Annual Tuition: Blended Kindergarten $21,600

Grades 1 - 8 $22,400

Blue Oak’s tuition covers all expenses related to a student’s education. There are no additional charges for books and supplies, field trips, graduation expenses, transportation, participation in athletics or technology use.

Additional Charges

Families who participate in the Neighborhood Program (after-school care) or enroll in classes in the After School Program are billed separately for these expenses. Limited financial assistance for these programs is available for families receiving an Indexed Tuition contract. Blue Oak also offers an optional hot lunch program for which there is an additional fee.

Blue Oak families are asked to make annual donations to the Acorn Fund, Blue Oak School’s annual fund. These gifts help fund such areas as technology initiatives, library acquisitions, tuition assistance and professional development. We ask that all families support this fundraising effort at a personally significant level; every gift is appreciated and meaningful. As we are a 501c3 organization, unrestricted gifts are tax-deductible, and some employers may match their employee’s gifts. For more information about the Acorn Fund and its use in the school budget, please contact the Development Office.

[whiterhino]

I find for my state, the costs are close to the same per pupil, but the quality is way better in private schools for numerous reasons.

To check your state costs, go here for private school estimates: www.privateschoolreview.com/tuition-stats/private-school-cost-by-state

And here for public school estimates by state: http://www.governing.com/gov-data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html

or duckduckgo (not google) your own sites if you don't like these.

[Sam Gamgee]

I once saw some stats on Catholic schools. They spend 40% of what a public school would and turn out better test results.

[Sam Gamgee]

FWIW, in British Columbia, Canada, we have a system whereby about 60% of the cost of public schooling is covered by the province. The rest of the cost is covered by tuition. That is how our small private religious school operates.

Our school has reasonable tuition of about $4000 per child. How it is done is the compensation package is way way lower than the public system. The teachers are paid around $40,000 with no pension. In public school I believe starting wage is $49,000 but add to that $15,000 in benefits.

The teachers take that lower compensation because they care about getting the children having a Christian education. Also, in our coastal city, finding a full time job in the public system is next to impossible.

The teachers unions of course despise that private school get any money.