Public Preschool (Leesburg, Fairfax: low income, day care, home)

[mormegil27]

So I was reading an article in the Economist that suggested that public (ie local tax funded) preschools do exist.

Social mobility in America: Repairing the rungs on the ladder | The Economist

My question: are there any in NOVA?

I'm in that income range where on paper I'm too rich for head start but in reality I don't have a 2nd job to pay $20k/yr in preschool tuition.

[mormegil27]

Are there preschool coops? Other options?

[mormegil27]

Nevermind - I found my answer here:

Public preschools in Fairfax Co??

Surprising that this doesn't exist. $350/month is much more affordable than $20k, though.

[cdmurphy]

Loudoun County has it for special needs. However, both the Loudoun Parks and Recs and the Town of Leesburg offer inexpensive preschool programs that are in very high demand.

I can't speak for Fairfax, but Loudoun can't even find the money to pay for full-day kindergarten. They certainly aren't going to be funding universal pre-K anytime soon.

[claremarie]

Do you mean full-time daycare or part-time preschool? There are plenty of private, part-time preschools with tuition rates well under $20K.

[leighland]

My Special ed teacher says FFX County Title I schools have kept their preschools. I live in a title I school pyramid with its preschool intact. However I am low income and the elementary is majority esl/free breakfast/free lunch in my pyramid. Since almost all posters on this forum are 6 figure income or retired 5 digit income with dual retirement, most posters here are very intimitated/scared of such schools. If its any consolation, there are a few diplomat kids that are at our school.

[mormegil27]

I mean part-time preschool. Day care is laughably too expensive. My wife is underemployed, which means she can either work a job waiting tables and have her entire income go to day-care, or she can stay home and raise our child (currently a baby) and do occasional contract work that actual uses her degree. Which would you choose?

It's funny how our society has gone back to a situation where one parent stays home with the kids due to necessity. While my wife would very much like to use her degree, in the absence of jobs, getting to raise your own child is a pretty good runner-up.

However, it seems clear from scientific research and common sense that once the baby is a couple years old it would be good to get some regular interaction with other children and extra early education.

Not surprising that the posters here have 6 figure incomes, after all the median household income in DC is 6 figures.

Yeah, I don't know anything about Title I schools, is there an income cutoff to get in? Or is it only special ed?

[marie5v]

Originally Posted by mormegil27

So I was reading an article in the Economist that suggested that public (ie local tax funded) preschools do exist.

Social mobility in America: Repairing the rungs on the ladder | The Economist

My question: are there any in NOVA?

I'm in that income range where on paper I'm too rich for head start but in reality I don't have a 2nd job to pay $20k/yr in preschool tuition.

Where do you get the figure 20K from?? That's private school for K and up, not preschool. Preschool is about 3000-4000/year for a 5 day, half day program. I pay 1800 now for 3 half days, and paid half of that for 2 days a week last year.

[marie5v]

Originally Posted by mormegil27

I mean part-time preschool. Day care is laughably too expensive. My wife is underemployed, which means she can either work a job waiting tables and have her entire income go to day-care, or she can stay home and raise our child (currently a baby) and do occasional contract work that actual uses her degree. Which would you choose?

It's funny how our society has gone back to a situation where one parent stays home with the kids due to necessity. While my wife would very much like to use her degree, in the absence of jobs, getting to raise your own child is a pretty good runner-up.

However, it seems clear from scientific research and common sense that once the baby is a couple years old it would be good to get some regular interaction with other children and extra early education.

Not surprising that the posters here have 6 figure incomes, after all the median household income in DC is 6 figures.

Yeah, I don't know anything about Title I schools, is there an income cutoff to get in? Or is it only special ed?

Title 1 is just a designation for a public school that has a certain percentage of low-income students. It's just a regular school. If you live in the boundary, then you go to that school. But they don't all have preschools. Also, it would not be my first choice of preschool. You didn't say where you live, but if you do even a cursory search for preschools you will see plenty around you that are relatively inexpensive.

[michgc]

Many of the preschools in NoVA seem to be church-run, and they are not, generally, too expensive. Usually, they are 9-12, and some offer an extra hour for lunch. Options are often 2, 3, or 5 days a week, and should run about $300-$700 per month.