How much do you pay for preschool?

Welcome to the Chicagoland area. I've lived here all my life, and still enjoy it - Chicago does have a lot to offer.

As for preschool, first let me tell you that I live in the western suburbs and I know prices are higher in the city, so keep that in mind. My kids will be attending our church's preschool. It will cost $235/month. It is only 2x/week, and only 2 to 2 1/2 hours each day - not long. Currently, they are in a kids day out program that costs $34/day for both and that is from 9am - 1pm - it will go up in the fall to $40/day for both.

If you have any questions about Chicago, places to live, etc., feel free to pm me. I'm happy to help. Wishing you all the best with your move to the Windy City.

 

At the age of 3 all kids in our area have the opportunity to attend M-F preschool (half-day) for FREE!!!!!!

Got to love a small town!!!!!!!!!

 

QUOTE(akameme @ May 9 2008, 03:37 AM) [snapback]763842[/snapback]
i'm going to cry

most of the good preschools on the westside of LA are b/t 8k and 10k a year for PART TIME PROGRAMS...5 days per week/3 hours

there is a co-op, which is affordable, but parents have to volunteer 1 day per month, in our case that would be 2 days per month!

we did find one program that is about 10k a year, but it offers full day.



No kidding! The Sherman Oaks pre-school my girls go to (since they were 2-1/2) is $1450 a month for the two of them full-time - plus $5 each per day for a hot lunch, PLUS all kinds of added costs here and there for special activities. And this school is less expensive than a couple other places I also liked. Still, it's less than the $2400 a month I was paying the nanny before they were old enough for pre-school!

Best,
Mia

 

I thought I would share this forum it is called "City-Data" for people who is interest in 'Moving' to another State or local area.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/

 

I have done 3 kinds of preschool. A home Joy school where I and 5 other moms traded kids. We set up a curriculum and schedule and it went very well. We did it due to cost of preschools in our area...all are over $100 a month.

Then I got my child into the High School Preschool lab...it is where high school students who are looking to go into the teaching arena or some other child focused job field get a feel for it. The program is monitered and overseen by a certified teacher..usually in the home Ec or Family and consumer science dept (I know because I am a certified teacher and can run one of these programs. You can't beat the ratio of 1 teacher per 1-2 students. And the cost is only $85 for a 3 month semester...the problem is you have to get in....ours is luck of the draw. But siblings get in automatically. Others I know are first come first served and I have had friends wait at 4 am before! I think they are great programs and many states and school districts have them.

The 3rd pre k is the one through the school district. I have a son with a severe speech problem...too bad to have him in the high school preschool because I wanted his speech therapist to work with him in the classroom and other benefits of having speech therapy at the same school as the pre k Class. This one was free because we qualified financially (with a family of 7 that was not too hard) and he did qualifiy with his speech. So always look into the school district to see if it is an option.

Good luck, I could never afford over $100 for preschool. They do not learn anything there I cannot teach them at home and I socialize plenty with playgroups and family nearby.

Cindy

 

my kids are in daycare right now at a cost of $49 per day all day long...once they start pre-school next year (at 3) its the same cost - it will be preschool curriculum in the morning and then daycare for the rest of the day...right now they go 2 days a week and as soon as DS finishes up with speech therapy (the ST can't go to the daycare because its in a different county than the one we live in) they will go 3 days per week...

 

QUOTE(Mia D @ May 12 2008, 10:12 PM) [snapback]769315[/snapback]
No kidding! The Sherman Oaks pre-school my girls go to (since they were 2-1/2) is $1450 a month for the two of them full-time - plus $5 each per day for a hot lunch, PLUS all kinds of added costs here and there for special activities. And this school is less expensive than a couple other places I also liked. Still, it's less than the $2400 a month I was paying the nanny before they were old enough for pre-school!

Best,
Mia



see and i thought the valley was cheaper?

I should have added the 8 and 10k was PER KID...so we are looking at 20k for preschool. So 1450 doesn't sound too bad, maybe we'll move over the hill

 

We live in SF Bay area Calif. The prices here are INSANE. Unless you do coops, which I can't. The price of everything here is insane.

Our girls will go 3 days per wk (full days). It's $720 per month PER child. It's about $60 per day, which is avg around here. Granted this is WITH a discount because it's affiliated w/ my husbands company. It's actually more expensive w/out that discount!

We should have started preschool saving funds (not college savings fund).

 

K&M will start preschool in September at a local Espicopal church. They will go Tuesday and Thursday mornings from
9-12. I also signed them up for the "lunch bunch" with the option of changing my mind.

ETA: forgot to mention the price: $360 per month ($180 per child).

 

Reyna,
We just moved from Chicago last year, and now live in Utah....... we have backwards sticker shock, "oh, preschool only costs $200 a month for two children?" It's been nice! I would encourage you to check with the local school district (you might have to call around a bit, I have gotten the run-around when starting to look into this every time. Not everyone knows about it and sometimes it's only in 1 school in the district). In both Boston and Chicago they had FANTASTIC programs for about 1/2 the cost of everywhere else. Preschool aged children who receive services (speech or physical therapy, for example) are entitled to a free preschool, and it has to be inclusive, so a certain percentage of the children must be typically developing. What it meant for my children was:

More qualified teachers (they must have a degree, and several have held graduate degrees in early childhood or special education)

Smaller teacher/student ratio. In Chicago, for example, there was 1 head teacher, and 2 assistant teachers who were there all the time. There were 14 children. Then they also had physical therapists, speech therapists, social workers, etc.... coming at different times each day, as well. At my oldest son's pre-k, they sent home a valentine list and there were more adults on the list than children! These specialists really enrich the lives of all the children, whether they 'receive' services or not!

Use of school facilities. The children went to gym, music, and art as part of the curriculum.

State funding for the program. This means excellent equipment, instruction, etc...

It has been a truly fantastic experience everywhere we've done it. Where in Chicago are you moving? We lived in Naperville. If you are going to be in that area, let me know and I can give you specifics of the school Nate and Drew were attending. We still miss that school!

 

Do they potty train for that price too? If so, I would hit them up....lol!!!!! Just kidding...that's a steep price for 2 days a week...geesh!