Rates for Kindergarten

[Country Kids]

We have 1/2 days here for the kindergarteners. Mornings would be 8:30-11:45 (this includes bus ride there and back) Afternoons would be 12:15-3:45 (same with including bus ride). Wednesdays they are cutting hours and from what I can gather (no one at the superintendents office could even answer this as a for sure) morings would be 8;30-11:15 (bus ride included) afternoons would be 12:00-2;15 (bus ride included).

We are afternoons location for kindergarten. I am looking into charging daily rates starting this year instead of hourly but still thinking hard on it all. So would you still consider kindergarteners fulltime or just charge for 1/2 days? Some of them will be returning back here after school.

I was thinking of just charging a daily rate and then it stays the same when they have no school which oh my gosh, the kindergarteners always have days off! So would you stick with 1/2 days or full days?

[Blackcat31]

I don't mess around with half days....too much confusion and filling hours inbetween or around another schedule is way to much of a headache.

The way I see it, if you want to come for one hour or the whole day the rate is the same. It is like buying a candy bar.

If you choose to eat only one bite or the whole thing, the cost is the same.

If I were in your shoes, I would charge a daily rate unless you bill by the hour or offer half days. If it is the norm in your area, I can totally see trying to stay competitive but doing all the extra work isn't worth it for me.

[Springdaze]

i do full day because anything over 4 hours is full time, also like you said you dont have to remind them of the rate when there is no school

[mema]

I charge for the full day. They are only missing rest time anyway. You still have to feed them breakfast, lunch and snacks.

[Mom&Provider]

What about offering a before/after school rate on school days and f/t regular rates for all the day in between (this would include PA days, school holidays that you don't take etc.)

I haven't gotten too much into it all yet either, but I know alot in my area do before and after school rates also!

[jojosmommy]

I charge the whole day. Around here Kindy kids are off the first 3 days of school start, once a month for teacher workshop days, additionally all holidays, plus everytime it snows there are no school days or early outs/late starts for that. Parents want to leave their kids here those days and they don't like when their rate goes up for it so I just make them pay for full days all the time.

I have only made an exception one time for a special needs kid, but I always feel the tug on my heart strings with those families.

[Meeko]

I charge full rate for all my kids...even those in school all day. A spot is a spot and it has to be paid for.

I am in business to support MY family..not give my potential income away in the form of discounts/part-time rates etc.

[kathiemarie]

for kindy I would charge a FT rate.

[Crazy8]

we have half day kindy here too... I charge slightly less than my full day rate, simply because I don't mind giving them a little break.

[Country Kids]

Originally Posted by Crazy8

we have half day kindy here too... I charge slightly less than my full day rate, simply because I don't mind giving them a little break.

So what do you do when they have a day off from school? Do you still charge a little less or have them pay the full day price?

[Crazy8]

Originally Posted by Country Kids

So what do you do when they have a day off from school? Do you still charge a little less or have them pay the full day price?

They pay $10/day extra when they have no school, $5/day extra when they have half day of school (which is really only about 1 hour more of daycare for them).
When they pay the $10/day extra for an entire week of no school they are actually paying me MORE than my my f/t rate, but still less than my per day part time rate.

I can pm you more specifics if you'd like. I've done my rates this way for 10 years and never had a problem, but like I said in another post I am just getting to the point where I want to encourage an earlier pick up time so I am changing things a little for September.

[familyschoolcare]

If is still have to feed them lunch then I charge give 20% more than the school day rate, plus %10 for every hour over 5 hours and 15 mins. (does not usualy happen) if I do not have to feed lunch then it is an extra $10 for every hour more then 5hours and 15 mins I have them in care.

So if a child goes to pre-school from 9-1 eats lunch at school (I close at 6:15) then is the same rate as thother school agers. $100 a week

If a child goes to school 8-12 and i feed them lunch then it is 20% off the full day rate if they are only here untill 5:15 (if care is need after that it is $10 an hour) so care untill 5:15 for this child would be $120

It realy is less confussing than it seams basicialy the school day rate does not come with lunch and is only 5 hours and 15 mins long.