Average cost per year for a family of 3 children (infants are free to educate):
Paper and ink for printer: $75
Pencils and erasers: $5
Workbooks: $25
Field trips: $50
Scouts: $200
Watching my kids learn and knowing they have the best chance to fulfill their potential? priceless.
compare my 355 to DC's 20K...and you gotta wonder where all that money is going to?
Cost of homeschooling
July 30th, 2008 at 04:15 pm
July 30th, 2008 at 04:29 pm 1217435388
Cost figures reported are averages and take into account students who need special services such as speech and students who are handicapped and might require a full time aide, nurses for the schools, facilities, equipment, specialists, etc.
I homeschooled my son briefly (not really by choice, but for six months) and it probably cost $300 for the six months to make his homeschool curriculum as enriched as the public school curriculum.
I know that homeschooling is the right choice for some families, but comparing it to "school" is like comparing apples and oranges. There are benefits to both, but top-notch educational programs are not cheap.
Good for you for taking advantage of resources that an lower your bill. I assume you are using the library, free museums, public parks, internet activities, play groups and similar free programs. I wish you success in your endeavor.
July 30th, 2008 at 04:52 pm 1217436759
You might have missed the last post where DC has ..."Only 37 percent of tested students in District of Columbia Public Schools and the city’s public charter schools earned proficient or advanced rankings in reading in 2007, and only 32 percent reached those levels in math, Jennifer Comey told the city council."...
You see public school with all its 'stuff' often fails to actually educate the basics. Statistics on homeschooling consistently show higher proficiency in reading and math as well as other subjects. public schools do tend to win on the sports front though, statistically public school kids play better football than homeschoolers.
July 30th, 2008 at 05:30 pm 1217439026
July 30th, 2008 at 06:31 pm 1217442685
July 31st, 2008 at 04:20 pm 1217521221
And even if I wanted to spend 1200 I don't have it..
Though I am a very relaxed homeschooler, I prefer reading books from the library and magazines to a science or history curriculum. When they are older I may change..but right now they know more than their peers, and even sometimes more than me! so I am happy.
As to parents who "can't" not only is that a dirty word, it is often a case of folks trusting the system that failed to teach them. I have nothing against public school teachers, but you are fighting an uphill battle with no support in sight. And the 'win' is often just a kid who can pass a test.
Schooling has it's place, and parents working two jobs with no time for educating their kids do get my sympathy.