Moving between private schools in Dallas (spring break, insurance, preschool)

[BB435]

Hi everyone. We're considering moving our kids from one private school to another in Dallas. I am reviewing the timelines and contracts and looks like admission decisions come out after re-enrollment contracts. Anyone has experience with this? I don't want to lose their spot at the current school if they don't get accepted but also I don't want to have to pay full tuition if I sign the re-enrollment contract and we end up deciding to leave. Thanks!

[JTC Mom]

Talk to your current school. We switched schools in preschool and lost a full year's tuition (but did get a tax write-off so not a total loss). I also know someone at a different school who lost their deposit but not full tuition.

[numbersguy100]

It depends on the rules at your current school. Whatever you pay to keep that space (deposit, usually) expect not to get that back. If you sign a full year contract you may have to pay the full year, especially at a school that doesn’t necessarily have a wait list student lined up to fill the seat.
In any case, most schools will work to call the tuition payment a contribution to the nonprofit so you can write it off.

[Waterdragon8212]

Admissions decisions are definitely communicated after renewal contracts are signed - on purpose, so that they know how many spots to offer. We've had friends who have navigated this before - their original school had a "tuition insurance" plan, which they paid for in case they gained admission into the new school (which they did.) They lost their deposit, and the extra they paid for the tuition insurance, but didn't have to pay the rest...

Tuition isn't generally due until June 1st, so if you gain admittance to another school before summer (i.e. when decisions first come out or shortly after), you shouldn't have to pay tuition at the old school - provided they don't have a draconian policy. At our school, part of the deposit is refundable if you let them know you are leaving by the date that the new admits have to accept or decline (but not the whole thing.) So, if we were to ever leave, we could be off the hook for the tuition and get part of our deposit back if we told them by the "end of spring break" deadline, but that might not be the case at every school.