Preschool Tuition - Waltham,MA

Hi R.,
I agree that an 18% increase for anything is a lot of money considering that pay increases are nowhere near that amount in most instances. If you feel that the value you receive is worth the increase in tuition, then you should by all means consider keeping your son there where he is comfortable and already has friends. However, if you feel that your son your could receive comparable care and development at another school, I'd encourage you to look into the preschool program at Roxbury Weston Preschool located in Weston. My children attended for two years and I was very pleased with the academic and social development that was reinforced while they were there. It is a half day program from 8AM-12PM; tuition a year ago was $3500/year for a child attending the program every day. I'm sure tuition is less for a child who does not attend full time. You can check out their website at roxwes.org to determine if this program is an option for your son. Good luck.

Honestly, I think that you're getting a fair deal. I know when my preschooler goes 2Xweek it's full day but it's about double that cost. I think that you were being undercharged last year.

However, I agree that the increase is a lot. I think it's better to think of it as $14/week or $70/month increase rather than how much more you'll pay for the whole year.. There are likely ways you can find that in your budget (and I know that times are tight).

You can always check around and see if you can find someplace less expensive that offers the same care, but I don't think you'll find it. It's also hard to find someplace that will only do 8 hours per week (the minimum at my center is 18). But the short answer is that, while the increase stinks, it probably puts your daycare more in the "normal" range around here pricewise.

It doesn't sound too bad to me, but I understand your feeling. If you otherwise like your child's experience there I would consider staying.

It does seem like a big % increase however that is an incredibly inexpensive preschool overall, at least compared to any other I have seen. If you are happy with the school and teachers then I would consider it a good investment for your son.