How much does it cost to get a child to an American school?

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In some states, summer holidays are still in full swing, while in others the sale of office supplies with discounts has already begun. Here the school year began and the massive purchases of pens, pencils and folders behind. How much do school fees cost this year and has it become more profitable for a wallet that some school districts are switching to e-books? ForumDaily conducted a survey of parents in different states.

Katya Hill lives in Maryland, in the city of Chevy Chase. The children are four and seven years old. The youngest goes to class pre-k, and the eldest is in second grade. The greatest expenses are associated with the youngest daughter. Katya says: “The youngest daughter studies in a private kindergarten. It costs $11 per year. Classes from 000 to 9.00 from Monday to Friday. This is the cheapest option in our area, but the garden is beautiful. We have a nanny because my husband and I work and cannot pick up the child at 12.00 noon. Preparation for this school is minimal. Last year we bought a backpack, and this year I think she will go with it again. There are school fees, but they are small: around $12 per year. This is partly because gardening is inexpensive.

My eldest daughter's classes begin on August 24 this year. We live in the most prestigious area - and the schools here are very good. Our daughter goes to public school, which is free. But I know some neighbors who send their children to private schools. It costs $20-$000 per child per year. The school bus picks up my eldest daughter at 45:000 near home and returns her at 8:50.”

By the beginning of the school year, Katya bought office supplies in double volume: both for her child and for those who will need help. Photos from the personal archive

By the beginning of the school year, Kate bought for the daughter of the office according to the issued list for $ 200. He says that it was possible to spend less, but the school recommends donating stationery to the class so that children from less well-off families can use them. Therefore, Katya bought everything in double volume: both for her child and for those who will need help.

In addition to these expenses, Katya knows that the budget this school year will decrease even more: “My girls do dance and ballet, three times a week each. Plus we also take them to Russian school on Saturdays. We spend $10 a year on these extra classes.”

Olga Novoselova's family in America is celebrating its first school year, but has already heard compliments from more experienced parents of schoolchildren. “I haven’t managed to get my license yet, and here in Los Angeles you can’t live without a car,” says Olga. — That’s why I ordered all the stationery from the online store. I received discounts, gifts and free shipping. Then I found out from my friends that they spent more on school supplies than I did. Stationery and a backpack for a first grader cost me $75. I received a water bottle and a backpack for my sports uniform as a gift for purchasing stationery from certain brands, and they also gave me a discount for subscribing to advertising news.”

But not everyone wants to buy online, preferring to look for great deals on shops. This year, active parents made a table of the best bargains, which looks like this:

Some buy new backpacks, lunch bags and a pile of stationery every year, but there are parents who do not see the point in unreasonable spending.

Marina Wright lives in Michigan, in Detroit. He says that there are no particular difficulties and costs in preparing children for school in their family. Every year the school uses almost the same thing, and it does not always make sense to buy new things.

Every year the school uses almost the same thing, so, according to Marina, it is not always worthwhile to buy new things. Photos from the personal archive

Marina shares her experience: “My girls are 10 and 13 years old. This year classes begin on September 5th. But on August 25, children come to school to see friends, take a group photo, choose subjects for the next school year, and meet new teachers. Sofia studies at Elementary schooland Simon in Middle school. We don’t have September 1 as such; it’s not customary to give flowers and various gifts here. There is no school uniform either. As for breakfasts, you can also eat at school, but my children don’t really like to eat there, so we don’t spend money on school food, I give homemade food to go.”

Many schools in the United States are switching to electronic textbooks, and it is not surprising that schools in Silicon Valley are among the first. Elvira Chernykh’s son graduated from school this year, and her daughter went to 5th grade. Elvira was confident that the news about the transition to books on computers would reduce family expenses: “At the end of the last school year, they pleased us by saying that this year we won’t have to buy folders and books, as they will be provided in electronic form. This made me happy because the savings were expected to be almost $200. But at the beginning of August we received a letter that only those who buy a computer of a certain model will be able to use electronic textbooks. I had to pay $300 for it, so I couldn’t save any money. But the briefcase that my daughter carries to school has become much lighter.”

The remark is very fair: over the past decade, the weight of an average schoolboy’s backpack has decreased from 28 to 7 pounds. This justice, however, struck the parent pocket. Every second family on the eve of this school year was going to buy the necessary devices on credit or hand over a tablet or computer already in the house to the child because the school recommends it. The state, in this case, fashionable devices pays only for 11%, and an ordinary family spends on them $ 250-500.

It is important to note that the public education system remembers that it is initially free. The lists of stationery that are given to parents are advisory in nature. Lunch fees (on average $4 per day) can be reduced by 50% or canceled altogether if the family earns below the subsistence level established in the municipality. Also, a low-income family may be exempt from paying for sports clubs or a school bus. Please visit your school district page for more information.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Target vs Walmart: where to buy school supplies

School traditions in America: meetings, holidays and thanks

How Silicon Valley Billionaires Subdued American Schools

Personal experience. How to save in the US

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