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Post by Elusions of Grandeur on Aug 19, 2012 9:30:02 GMT -5
So we went to register DSS for high school the other day (finally ONE of the kids can leave private school and all it's associated costs behind - or so was my dream). I was already upset with the school that they sent us a fee schedule 31 days before we owed it in total. $515 for fees and materials! Registering for high school is expensive. And of course we HAD to buy everything from his gym uniform (makes sense) to specific locks FROM them and all his text books. (I swear I thought those used to be free.) Paying that much upset me for sure, but what upset me more was that the school knew what classes he had signed up for 3 months ago. And squeezing out an extra $500+ right along normal monthly bills is not a big enough deal to warrant more than a month's notice.
But what really irks me is that I thought public school was supposed o provide transportation. So when one of the fees listed was bus-pass, we assumed it meant if he ever went on a field trip or took the bus somewhere other than home-to-school and vice versa. So we bought it. It turns out it's a Pace bus pass. And it's only 11 rides. That's 1 week to and from school + one extra ride. And we are expected to reload it at the cost of $8.50/week. Now that's not a LOT of money, but it sure isn't money we had budgeted, and it's not money we have to throw around. I SWORE I thought public schools were required to provide transportation (and for that matter books) for free!!!
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upstatemom
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Post by upstatemom on Aug 19, 2012 11:17:06 GMT -5
I do not think public school in NY can charge fees and the school pays for the books. Then again, our school taxes are very high compared to many other states. The elementary and middle school teachers do have excessive supply lists for the class rooms that each child must bring. This includes items to be shared and even tissues. I have not had a kids in the lower grades for a few years, but I would not be surprised if the lists now included TP ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) We live in a rural area and the school pays for transportation. All grade levels are on the same bus schedule, which makes for some interesting bus rides. My youngest came home from school his first day and told me he now knows what french kissing is.... He saw an older kid doing it to the seat ![???](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/huh.png) I paid a visit to the school the next morning.
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misplacedbrit
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Post by misplacedbrit on Aug 19, 2012 11:17:41 GMT -5
Wow, I never went through that with either of mine.
Sure we paid when they lost a book.. but we didn't pay in advance (if you do have to pay, get the names of the books and buy them elsewhere) Supply lists are posted and can be found in most stores (walmart, staples etc)
Bus was provided free. Its a matter of safety for the kids.
I am in VA, don't know if that makes any difference
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Post by Elusions of Grandeur on Aug 19, 2012 12:13:59 GMT -5
misplacedbrit - We were not allowed to buy books elsewhere. We HAD to buy them through the school. His English classes wouldn't even tell us what books he needs, they just wanted $45 - apparently the teacher then buys the books and hands them out right before they read them, which prevents a lot of lost books. (The way they handle that made sense, but the requirement to pay for his books still doesn't.)
I finished public high school in this area 12 years ago - and I swear my parents never paid for books, materials (besides notebooks, pencils, etc - but not a materials fee to the school), or transportation. I suppose we do live close enough that he could technically walk or bike to school - we're about a mile away, but that won't kill him... as long as he pays attention when he crosses the major road and the train tracks on the way (which is not a given).
upstatemom - That is hilarious on the TP, I would believe it. And our taxes here are very high. We live in the county that has the highest overall tax rate for the entire nation. You would think SOME of that would be for the school district and not just our string of corrupt politicians. But then you'd think wrong.
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Aug 19, 2012 13:17:45 GMT -5
Except for ASB, yearbook and anything else you may want, the schools here do not charge us anything. They actually get 2 sets of books - one to keep in class and one to study at home. We do not have buses where I live.
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jdnstl
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Post by jdnstl on Aug 19, 2012 13:22:27 GMT -5
my friend showed me er school list for her pre-k 4 year old class...it included 12 stamps and 8 reams of copy paper!!! she said, "what the heck do they want with 8 reams of paper & 12 stamps!?!?!" i guess school budgets just don't include the basics anymore - including text books.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Aug 19, 2012 15:34:14 GMT -5
We live in a VHCOLA with real estate tax rates in the top 5 or so in the state in a state with a state income tax and sales taxes on all non-food (except some clothing items). Unfortunately, our town has a limited commercial tax base, so the bulk of the town budget is paid for through residential real estate taxes. In an effort to try and rein in real estate taxes, *some* "optional" school-related expenses are paid for out-of-pocket by students' families (i.e., the population most directly benefitted by the options). For example, around here, elementary students get free transportation. From middle school on up, it's $180/year per student with a $500 family cap. Books are still free (unless you lose them) and they *were* giving a set for home, but this year every high schooler is getting a laptop so I'm thinking that actual paper books are done(?). As for the laptop, we have to buy a laptop sleeve or padded backpack, charge it each night, load a bunch of school-licensed software, supervise its use at home, and if we want, we can pay $60 for a maintenance contract. I'm not so keen on the laptop or the associated costs and supervision. We already have sufficient computers at home, in "public" spaces, that the school-issued ones seem like more trouble than they're worth. But, that's all better for a different thread. We also pay for school sports ($250/sport/child with a family cap of $1000). We have a very active and effective sports boosters program, so there are also the usual fundraisers, etc. to cover some of the cost of school sports. I believe other extracurricular activities (some music programs, some drama programs, etc.) have participation fees as well but don't have first hand knowledge about them. Middle schoolers go on curriculum-based field trips each year (6th, 7th and 8th) of increasing length and distance and cost. The total per student for all 3 trips is close to $1200, plus spending money. Elusions, you might want to ask about "mandatory" field trips during high school so you can plan for those, too. Then, there is the cost of spirit wear, fundraisers (class, school, charitable), special curriculum materials (workbooks, etc.)... For those in special ed, there can be fees related to outside evaluations, private therapies and tutoring, etc. I, too, wish there was a list somewhere (i.e., district or school websites) that laid out ALL *possible* out-of-pocket expenses so I could budget more accurately. It would be great if it was laid out per grade. But, I suppose there are some political and civic reasons for not doing so. ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png)
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redwagon
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Post by redwagon on Aug 20, 2012 13:34:13 GMT -5
It's so sad that school budgets have come to this. My mom teaches 3rd grade and she hates sending out those materials lists but they have teachers on very limited paper supplies (she gets to print/copy like 30 pieces of paper a week. So she can print out one worksheet, basically. Everything else SHE pays for or passes on to parents through the materials list. Budgets are just so stretched in MA. Must be much the same thing where you are.
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Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Aug 20, 2012 13:37:13 GMT -5
...why shouldn't parents be required to transport their kids to/fro school? ![???](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/huh.png)
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Opti
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Post by Opti on Aug 20, 2012 13:46:16 GMT -5
Elusions, I haven't heard of what you list until now. I'm curious, do you vote in your school board elections and read the annual school budget?
My guess is they are strapped for cash and I'm not sure if it is a federal or state requirement, but busing is usually not required unless the student lives two miles away or possibly 1 1/2 miles away. The textbook thing is odd, but not much you can do about it now. You might want to get involved in the political process and find out how your school is funded and what if anything you can do.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Aug 20, 2012 13:58:45 GMT -5
elusions, what state are you in? And I know my BIL & SIL have to pay for the bus costs for their twins in 1st grade. Theirs is a one-time fee of $340 per kid for transportation to/from school, so I think that's not all that uncommon these days.
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Post by Elusions of Grandeur on Aug 20, 2012 15:35:23 GMT -5
TCU - We live in IL.
I remember when I was going to school that the district was required to provide transportation to and from school for anyone over a mile away.
Optimist - I have no idea where I'd find the school budget, and no I have not been active in voting in the school board. Although perhaps I should have.
BeenThere - Why should they be required to transport kids to school? His school starts when DH needs to be at work, and ends about 2 hours before he gets off of work, and DH works over an hour away. When we were a one-car household transporting him would be impossible without DH risking/losing his job. I wouldn't want to have choose between DSS education and DH being employed.
red - I have heard horror stories of stretched budgets and what teachers can and can't do (I have several friends that teach at all different levels here), but I have a hard time believing that in our county that the budgets are that stretched. Our taxes are so high. I would rather believe it is our corrupt politicians screwing the budgets somehow while lining their own pockets (and given that I live in IL, is that really all that much of a stretch?).
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Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Aug 20, 2012 16:01:16 GMT -5
BeenThere - Why should they be required to transport kids to school? His school starts when DH needs to be at work, and ends about 2 hours before he gets off of work, and DH works over an hour away. When we were a one-car household transporting him would be impossible without DH risking/losing his job. I wouldn't want to have choose between DSS education and DH being employed.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Aug 20, 2012 16:30:59 GMT -5
Isn't IL the school district where it was reported the teachers were making $80,000-$90,000? That might answer where all the extra funds have gone.
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Post by Elusions of Grandeur on Aug 20, 2012 18:41:10 GMT -5
sam - I should know that, but I don't. I have no problem with teachers earning a good salary, they definitely deserve fair compensation for dealing with children (I almost taught at the high school level myself and know how difficult they can be).
BeenThere - No, we wouldn't. But a warning would have been appreciated. Still, I swear they USED to provide transportation, and now they don't. That irks me. No help, and no warning to boot.
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wmpeon
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Post by wmpeon on Aug 20, 2012 18:57:19 GMT -5
I'm shocked at the idea of paying for your own textbooks. Are you refunded at year-end when the class is over? Do you at least get to keep them? I grew up low-income and even in the early 80s we had to bring things like kleenex that was shared. But back then, the lists were much smaller and we could bring off brands. How is one supposed to pay outrageous fees like that when your family is poor? Something like up to 1/3 of school kids live in poverty in my city, so how would these families afford it? And it's funny to hear others say their county has the highest property tax rate in the nation. It all depends on how the statistics are spun, I guess. I've read articles saying the most expensive counties are in NY state (my county ranking #1 or #2, depending on the day). Sure doesn't show it in the local graduation rates though. We're hovering at less than 50%. ![:o](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/shocked.png)
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Opti
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Post by Opti on Aug 20, 2012 19:12:11 GMT -5
Isn't IL the school district where it was reported the teachers were making $80,000-$90,000? That might answer where all the extra funds have gone. Illinois covers a lot of space. I can see the area PBP used to live being quite expensive but down south and poor outlying parts of Chicago I doubt it. In other words, many school districts. At least several hundred.
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seriousthistime
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Post by seriousthistime on Aug 20, 2012 19:44:07 GMT -5
When my kids were in school in IL, the deal was that if they lived within 1.5 miles of the school, the parents took care of transportation. More than that, the state was supposed to, or more likely the parents did and the state reimbursed part of the cost. My kids lived just beyond the 1.5 miles and I got a check in the mail after the school year was up and I filled out the paperwork at the prescribed cents per mile. They took all those parents' documentation, pooled them, divided the budget for that sort of thing, and you got a fraction of cents per mile for transporting your kids to and from school for 180 days. I usually got a check for $100.
I know this is not inexpensive for you, EofG, but when my kids were going to public school it would cost about $250/$300 per kid per year, plus pay as you go for the extra-curriculars. When my daughter went to a public school but by application and admission only, we routinely spent $500 per year on books. The good thing was that we were able to get the books at the local college bookstore and I was able to pass on my tricks for selecting almost new books at used book prices. When they're taking science and math in high school and college where new textbooks can cost $150 or more new, it's a good skill to have.
In IL, even poor and outlying parts of the state are doing this.
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Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Aug 20, 2012 19:52:23 GMT -5
sam - I should know that, but I don't. I have no problem with teachers earning a good salary, they definitely deserve fair compensation for dealing with children (I almost taught at the high school level myself and know how difficult they can be). BeenThere - No, we wouldn't. But a warning would have been appreciated. Still, I swear they USED to provide transportation, and now they don't. That irks me. No help, and no warning to boot. ...oh, absolutely... fair warning is much appreciated! ![](http://us.social.s-msn.com/s/images/emoticons/rose.gif)
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redwagon
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Post by redwagon on Aug 21, 2012 10:54:26 GMT -5
EoG - my mom teaches in one of the poorer towns in MA, which doesn't help her situation. She's keeping an eye out for other positions in other towns, as badly as she feels "leaving" these kids, she is sick of the budgetary restrictions placed on her. And yes, teachers deserve every dime and probably more that we pay them. One of the most underappreciated and underpaid professions out there, IMO.
When I was in school, if you lived within 1.5 miles it was understood that you would walk to school. Which I did. Well, more like ran because I was never on time. Still aren't lol.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Aug 22, 2012 9:47:36 GMT -5
underappreciated and underpaid professions out there, IMO. When I was in school, if you lived within 1.5 miles it was understood that you would walk to school. Which I did. Well, more like ran because I was never on time. Still aren't lol. Yup. I grew up in the era of "walking routes". Everyone headed in a general direction walked in a line with assigned line leaders at the front and back. You were "deposited" at the end of your street and walked the rest of the way on your own or with siblings/neighbors. Kids don't walk like that anymore. I see a handful of students walking to school in my town, but the traffic back up at the school drop off spots is evidence of how things have changed, and not necessarily for the better.
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redwagon
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Post by redwagon on Aug 22, 2012 10:36:11 GMT -5
We didn't have walking routes. Just clusters of kids coming from all directions lol.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2012 13:27:45 GMT -5
Is DSS going to the local high designated for him to attend or is he going to a magnate or other school that brings in kids from various areas? Something that may be more unique to Illinois is that state law provides that only some types of districts may have to transport some students that live more than 1.5 miles away but also provides that: When a district has a public mass transit system within its boundaries, the district may elect to certify to the State Board of Education that adequate transportation for the public is available for students and not offer free pupil transportation (105 ILCS 5/29-3). In exercising the mass transit exclusion as stated in Article 5/29-3 of the School Code, districts do not have to pay any costs associated with this service, including tripper services.
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Post by mox on Aug 22, 2012 13:31:28 GMT -5
Have you purchased the $100+ calculator yet that gets stolen easily? ![>:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/angry.png) I paid for the first one...after that, if they didn't keep a close eye on it...it was on their dime.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2012 14:09:14 GMT -5
I personally have never had to pay for textbooks for my public school kids, but my friend did have to pay for her daughter's books last year in Kansas. My kids were in a Kansas district as well, but that HS didn't charge for books.
I can understand the supply list, but I do not agree that students should have to pay for their textbooks in Public school.
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suesinfl
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Post by suesinfl on Aug 26, 2012 15:08:42 GMT -5
I hope to heaven that Florida doesn't adopt that crazy idea. As it is now, my county is eliminating art, music, PE and media centers. It will be a gradual thing for now as the teachers are retiring or moving on.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2012 15:41:13 GMT -5
I'm in France so I know it's not a reference for you.
But, even when my oldest was in primary school (he'll be 26 next month) the teachers would ALWAYS ask which parents had access to a photocopier so they could make (occasional) photocopies for the class.
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lisamomof4
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Post by lisamomof4 on Aug 26, 2012 19:36:27 GMT -5
EoG, i'm in illinois also and while we have always had to pay high school fees...this year was the worst ![>:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/angry.png) . DS is a jr. in HS, and in honers classes...so extra fee's for those classes not to mention the 'required' extra supplies (DD2 is in college and both of them needed graphing calculators this year ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/sick.png) ) and the teachers are also expecting homework to be done on computers and turned in by email and have their personal favorites of what programs to use...it would appear my kids are the only restricted income kids in the honers programs ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/yeahright.png) . there is no choice given on text books in HS....you pay through the nose and nothing is 'refunded' we also have received a list of 'suggested gifts' for the assorted teachers on any given holiday...the gall of it blows my mind....the baby is in 1st grade and even her school fee's were $158 not including supplies. for each sport participated in there is a 'activity fee' of $75 not including needed equipment....this year DS is not playing the costs have just gone up to the point of being out of reach for us. bussing costs are not refunded nor are they an option...just on initial outlays for the start of classes (grade, highschool and college) i would say we are at over $1500 between the 3 kids...it could have been worse DD2's fiance got her a laptop and they share a phone plan...
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Malarky
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Post by Malarky on Aug 26, 2012 20:02:58 GMT -5
$75 insurance fee for the laptop that DD HAS to use.
$100 class dues.
$175 athletic fee. Which does not cover any equipment, choreography, transportation or uniforms. Parents either pay for or fundraise for everything.
If the bus was an option, that would be another $175 fee. At the high school, no transportation is available for any price.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2012 20:38:35 GMT -5
I wonder how this works with special education? When i was teaching, we could not kick anyone off the bus with an iep, because they were entitled to a free and appropriate public education and that included being transported there... honestly, i'm not sure how most of these things take place, and was not familiar with any of them but supply lists...
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