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The Cost of Public School
More Than You Think!
Many parents are amazed that public school is actually more expensive than homeschooling! Below are some expenses associated with the classroom environment as discussed by participants on our HomeschoolChristian.com message boards.
Pam: I sat down today to tally up what it costs us to have my son in ps this school year and was shocked!!! The total came to approximately $300!! That is not including the supplies needed at the start of school and anytime during. I would guess the supplies, including his backpack, was around $40 if not more. Whoever said public school was inexpensive??
Karla: I heard the figure several years ago of $7000. That's approximately how much it costs to educate each child in public school each year. Just think what we could do with that money each year in homeschooling?
Marcelyn: And don't forget those lovely fund-raisers. I think I have an average of two kids a month at my door selling something (magazine are the favorite right now here). When I ask what the money is going for they can never tell me.... they say, oh, it's for our school..... well duh, what does the school need?
Mary Leggewie: I turned down a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for the local Christian school when I found out that it was to help pay for the senior class to go to HAWAII! I'm sorry, but I think that's ridiculous! My senior class at a Christian school raised money to do something positive for the school, not for a last hurrah.
Pam in IL: Add in gas money to take them to school, the lunch money to feed them, new clothes at the beginning of the school, gym shoes, gym uniforms, etc. We figured with gas, lunch, and supplies, we would spend over $800 per child for public school.
Jamie: When my ds was in school, we bought different kinds of clothes than we buy now. He tends to be sweats/t-shirts/jeans and even pj's on some days now. But when he went to ps, we had to always have special clothes for concerts, gym class, and such. Not to mention that their school was forever doing things like: Tie-dye day (send in a NEW T-shirt), Big Dogs day (wear something with the Big Dogs label - not cheap!), Old Navy Day (same), and so on. What do you do? Get your kid something, or let him/her be picked on? I know kids should stand up to peer pressure, but in Kindergarten and 1st grade? It's almost as if you don't have an option.
Pam: I thought of several other things to add to my original tally! Clothes is one, along with all the things mentioned by others!!!! My ds school even has yearbooks!!! The only yearbooks I had were in high school; I never heard of an elementary school that had yearbooks. It won't be too long before you start seeing class rings in grade school!!!!! My son also has tie-dye day. They are also having an end-of-year auction where each child has to bring in a brand new toy, one for a boy and one for a girl, to be auctioned off. The school also has picture day in August and again in March. Why is it necessary to have two picture days? Never could figure that out. There's always something they have their hand out for!!!
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