joeldo_IHB
New member
Anyone gathered data on comparative costs of preschools in Irvine? As a newcomer, I'm trying to assess where my favorites fit within the range. Looking at 5 days / week, half days. Thanks!
preschool costs
- Thread starter joeldo_IHB
- Start date
NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
The one I listed is one of the few that does not have a waiting list. I expected one and showed up two years early! LOL. I think they recommended registering a few months ahead, though.
I checked out your link. Those prices are definitely monthly.
I'm curious, BK. Based on some of your posts, I think your daughter attends Pioneer and from there will be heading off to Beckman? Has she ever expressed to your her views of Beckman? I mean, is she excited about the upcoming programs that school has in store for her? Does she feel like what they offer her will give her the best opportunity for success --- assuming she has started thinking that far into the future? In a nutshell, does she view her next educational step favorably --- or is she plotting ways to attend Troy or Uni or OC Arts HS?
I ask because I think students probably do the best when they are excited about their opportunities, much the way we as adults gravitate toward employers that we feel like are going to make the biggest investment in us, and give us the best future opportunities.
Your experience, while valid and definitely significant, is anecdotal evidence. What we need is high quality evidence from adequately powered controlled studies. I did a quick search on PubMed (not necessarily the best place for papers on this issue) and pulled a study published in Science. May worth a quick look. It seems to support the assertion that Montessori schools have some value.
Lillard A, Else-Quest N. The early years. Evaluating Montessori education. Science. 2006 Sep 29;313(5795):1893-4
I have the full-text pdf, but since it's copyrighted, don't think I can post it here. If you follow the link above, you can get the full-text paper through Montessori website.
(Disclaimer: I don't own any interests in Montessori schools and my kids do not currently attend a Montessori school either. Also, while this paper is published in a peer-reviewed journal, I cannot rule out the possibility of potential conflicts of interest by the authors.)
I am interested in that!
I guess the economy is really changing everything; I heard from a couple that they register for pre-school in Irvine; before the couple got pregnant!
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1043403.php
Sad story... although I don't know how directly this relates to the current Montessori system being used in Irvine's schools.
Incidently, an IUSD school, Springbrook Elementary, has a Montessori program which is always running at capacity every year. The waiting list is long and they actually screen students for participation.
I'm not sure if bk is criticizing or praising it, but we find Montessory to be an excellent program and very flexible. It encourages independency and learning at your own pace. We feel the learning environment should be fun, festive and social but they also encourage independency and leadership. This is part of the reasoning why they mix age groups so that the older kids can be leaders and set examples for the younger ones and then the younger ones can transition to leadership roles.
It's not the perfect program and I'm sure everyone elses' experience differs by child and by upbringing but we prefer the "attention and social interaction" aspect... especially when they are younger. I was under the impression that standard school systems focus more on repetition, drills and memorization so I'm a bit confused by bk's post.
In the end, what matters most is how your child responds to the learning environment. If they are happy and are hitting acceptable benchmarks... then it's a good school... no matter what the system.
Mazy_IHB
New member
There you go - preschool rates as of May 09:
Irvine United Church:
- New registration: $80 (one-time)
- Full-time, 5 days/wk: $875/mo
- Part-time, 3 days/wk: $570/mo
- Part-time, 2 days/wk: $425/mo
Montessori:
- New registration: $150 (one-time)
- Full-day: $990/mo
Westpark KinderCare:
- New registration: $100 (one-time)
- Full-day, 5 days/wk: $251/wk
- Full-day, 3 days/wk: $188/wk
- Full-day, 2 days/wk: $151/wk
- Half-day, 5 days/wk: $188/wk
- Half-day, 3 days/wk: $141/wk
- Half-day, 2 days/wk: $113/wk
Tuition rates include breakfast, lunch and snack. It shouldn't be an issue at preschool, but there usually is a "not-being-potty-trained" surcharge. Hope it helps.
Irvine United Church:
- New registration: $80 (one-time)
- Full-time, 5 days/wk: $875/mo
- Part-time, 3 days/wk: $570/mo
- Part-time, 2 days/wk: $425/mo
Montessori:
- New registration: $150 (one-time)
- Full-day: $990/mo
Westpark KinderCare:
- New registration: $100 (one-time)
- Full-day, 5 days/wk: $251/wk
- Full-day, 3 days/wk: $188/wk
- Full-day, 2 days/wk: $151/wk
- Half-day, 5 days/wk: $188/wk
- Half-day, 3 days/wk: $141/wk
- Half-day, 2 days/wk: $113/wk
Tuition rates include breakfast, lunch and snack. It shouldn't be an issue at preschool, but there usually is a "not-being-potty-trained" surcharge. Hope it helps.
ipoplaya_IHB
New member
Jenny Hart doesn't do half days so they obviously don't have half day rates...
joeldo_IHB
New member
Great, thanks!
SoCal78_IHB
New member
Good Shepherd Preschool
(Click on link & then "2009-2010 Programs" to see full rate quotes and scroll to bottom)
The schedule you're looking for:
5 days per week, half days: $560/month
Ratio 1:9
Mornings 8:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ...or...
Afternoons: 12:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ...or...
Offers "Plus Hours" 8:45 - 1:15 at an additional charge. My price sheet is outdated and the website doesn't say how much, so you'd have to call. Parent provides lunch and there is curriculum afterwards.
Snacks provided.
3-5 years old and potty trained
Registration fee of $75.
(Click on link & then "2009-2010 Programs" to see full rate quotes and scroll to bottom)
The schedule you're looking for:
5 days per week, half days: $560/month
Ratio 1:9
Mornings 8:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ...or...
Afternoons: 12:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ...or...
Offers "Plus Hours" 8:45 - 1:15 at an additional charge. My price sheet is outdated and the website doesn't say how much, so you'd have to call. Parent provides lunch and there is curriculum afterwards.
Snacks provided.
3-5 years old and potty trained
Registration fee of $75.
roundcorners_IHB
New member
how long do you have to be on the waiting list for some of these places?
roundcorners_IHB
New member
SoCal78_IHB
New member
roundcorners said:
The one I listed is one of the few that does not have a waiting list. I expected one and showed up two years early! LOL. I think they recommended registering a few months ahead, though.
SoCal78_IHB
New member
roundcorners said:
I checked out your link. Those prices are definitely monthly.
irvine_home_owner_IHB
New member
It seems like the Montessoris are the only ones that has a lengthy waiting list.
Many of the other places have smaller lists but we're talking weeks not years.
ICDC made our top 5 and a friend of ours has his kid there... but he's worried about the teacher turnover they have been having lately. Most places do have a bit of churn in the assistant staff... you should look for one that has stable head teachers.
Most of the places are at about the $1000 per month fulltime range depending on age... which is 4x more than my college education at a UC back in the day.
Many of the other places have smaller lists but we're talking weeks not years.
ICDC made our top 5 and a friend of ours has his kid there... but he's worried about the teacher turnover they have been having lately. Most places do have a bit of churn in the assistant staff... you should look for one that has stable head teachers.
Most of the places are at about the $1000 per month fulltime range depending on age... which is 4x more than my college education at a UC back in the day.
bkshopr_IHB
New member
Before sending your kids to Montessori I would seriously think about it first. The school teaches children based on repetition and memorization on both songs and learning. The one by UCI and Northwood are excellent.
My daughter went there from toddler through Kindergarden. The teaching technique are very verbal, social and interactive. Many children follow the pattern of learning. When she transitioned from Montessori to public school it was a huge adjustment. She was not getting the attention, social interaction, repetition, pattern and drills. For the first 3 years in public school the teachers noted her having mood and personality issues.
Her learning environment was no longer fun and festive like the Montessori setting catered to showing off to parents who pay tuition. It took many years to de-program her that learning is not totally based on repetitive exercise and memorization. Critical and analytical thinking create leadership. She is at the top of her class today and a leader in student council.
Anyone know about the dirty laundry of the founding Montessori family and OC ?
My daughter went there from toddler through Kindergarden. The teaching technique are very verbal, social and interactive. Many children follow the pattern of learning. When she transitioned from Montessori to public school it was a huge adjustment. She was not getting the attention, social interaction, repetition, pattern and drills. For the first 3 years in public school the teachers noted her having mood and personality issues.
Her learning environment was no longer fun and festive like the Montessori setting catered to showing off to parents who pay tuition. It took many years to de-program her that learning is not totally based on repetitive exercise and memorization. Critical and analytical thinking create leadership. She is at the top of her class today and a leader in student council.
Anyone know about the dirty laundry of the founding Montessori family and OC ?
kcmkane_IHB
New member
bkshopr said:
I'm curious, BK. Based on some of your posts, I think your daughter attends Pioneer and from there will be heading off to Beckman? Has she ever expressed to your her views of Beckman? I mean, is she excited about the upcoming programs that school has in store for her? Does she feel like what they offer her will give her the best opportunity for success --- assuming she has started thinking that far into the future? In a nutshell, does she view her next educational step favorably --- or is she plotting ways to attend Troy or Uni or OC Arts HS?
I ask because I think students probably do the best when they are excited about their opportunities, much the way we as adults gravitate toward employers that we feel like are going to make the biggest investment in us, and give us the best future opportunities.
Meatball_IHB
New member
My girl went to Montessori for preschool (not in Irvine though) and transferred to public school system after kindergarten. She seems to adjust very well and now she likes public school more. But we can see her academic skills are not making any progress in public school as Montessori teaches a lot of reading, math through their special program. In Montessori if the child is ahead of peers in any skill they have the flexibility to go ahead and study more. I think her math and reading in Montessori pre-K has reached 1st grade level. With that said in public school the education is more well-rounded as they have more science and arts projects and we like that too. Anyway in my child I don’t see the disadvantage in attending Montessori pre-K program.
Mazy_IHB
New member
bkshopr said:
Your experience, while valid and definitely significant, is anecdotal evidence. What we need is high quality evidence from adequately powered controlled studies. I did a quick search on PubMed (not necessarily the best place for papers on this issue) and pulled a study published in Science. May worth a quick look. It seems to support the assertion that Montessori schools have some value.
Lillard A, Else-Quest N. The early years. Evaluating Montessori education. Science. 2006 Sep 29;313(5795):1893-4
I have the full-text pdf, but since it's copyrighted, don't think I can post it here. If you follow the link above, you can get the full-text paper through Montessori website.
(Disclaimer: I don't own any interests in Montessori schools and my kids do not currently attend a Montessori school either. Also, while this paper is published in a peer-reviewed journal, I cannot rule out the possibility of potential conflicts of interest by the authors.)
purpletulip_IHB
New member
bkshopr said:
I am interested in that!
roundcorners_IHB
New member
Mazy said:
I guess the economy is really changing everything; I heard from a couple that they register for pre-school in Irvine; before the couple got pregnant!
irvine_home_owner_IHB
New member
My Google-Fu found this:acpme said:
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1043403.php
Sad story... although I don't know how directly this relates to the current Montessori system being used in Irvine's schools.
Incidently, an IUSD school, Springbrook Elementary, has a Montessori program which is always running at capacity every year. The waiting list is long and they actually screen students for participation.
I'm not sure if bk is criticizing or praising it, but we find Montessory to be an excellent program and very flexible. It encourages independency and learning at your own pace. We feel the learning environment should be fun, festive and social but they also encourage independency and leadership. This is part of the reasoning why they mix age groups so that the older kids can be leaders and set examples for the younger ones and then the younger ones can transition to leadership roles.
It's not the perfect program and I'm sure everyone elses' experience differs by child and by upbringing but we prefer the "attention and social interaction" aspect... especially when they are younger. I was under the impression that standard school systems focus more on repetition, drills and memorization so I'm a bit confused by bk's post.
In the end, what matters most is how your child responds to the learning environment. If they are happy and are hitting acceptable benchmarks... then it's a good school... no matter what the system.
Mcdonna1980_IHB
New member
Maria Montessori's great great granddaughter was murder a few years ago. She was a trouble youth whom lived on the streets of Santa Ana.
I volunteer as the art teacher at the Montessori school my kids attended for 3 years. Prior to this school my daughter attended a different school. Night and day difference. I think there is a lot of Montessori schools out there that exploit the name for $$$. The later school stuck to the traditional Montessori methods.
The Montessori method emphasis a holistic approach to learning. Everything from teaching the child to wash dishes to science is covered. There is a strong emphasis in sparking curiosity in the child so they are self motivated to learn. This is an idealistic way to learn. However, some of the kids did not respond well to this type of environment and needed a more iron fist approach.
In addition to getting referrals, I would do some test runs. We tested out 3 different schools, each which allowed me to observe my child in classroom for a week and speak with current families. Paramount to academics was a safe and nurturing environment for my little ones, though. I would definitely avoid any place with a revolving door of teachers. Some of my fondness memories are from our preschool days. We still attend annual alumni events at our preschool and occasional my kids will volunteer as role models to the new students. The owner attends many of her student's college graduations.
I volunteer as the art teacher at the Montessori school my kids attended for 3 years. Prior to this school my daughter attended a different school. Night and day difference. I think there is a lot of Montessori schools out there that exploit the name for $$$. The later school stuck to the traditional Montessori methods.
The Montessori method emphasis a holistic approach to learning. Everything from teaching the child to wash dishes to science is covered. There is a strong emphasis in sparking curiosity in the child so they are self motivated to learn. This is an idealistic way to learn. However, some of the kids did not respond well to this type of environment and needed a more iron fist approach.
In addition to getting referrals, I would do some test runs. We tested out 3 different schools, each which allowed me to observe my child in classroom for a week and speak with current families. Paramount to academics was a safe and nurturing environment for my little ones, though. I would definitely avoid any place with a revolving door of teachers. Some of my fondness memories are from our preschool days. We still attend annual alumni events at our preschool and occasional my kids will volunteer as role models to the new students. The owner attends many of her student's college graduations.