Pricing Help

[snbauser]

I do not take school agers so have never had a B/A school rate. I am applying to be a pre-kindergarten facility through the state. These are state paid spots for 4 years olds and the required school day is 6 - 6 1/2 hrs. We are allowed to charge a before/after school fee if the parents want to use us for additional hours. What is a fair rate? Keep in mind that this program is for at risk children so in many cases these are low income families. I want to make it reasonably priced so they can afford it if they need it, but costly enough that if they don't need it, they won't use it. Does that make sense? I charge $130/week right now for full time up to 10 hrs/day. But the state will only pay about $500/month for the spots. I'm thinking of charging $100/week for the 6 - 6 1/2 hr program and then $30/week for before and after school care. Or should I charge like $3 - 5/hr for the after school care? I don't want to lose a ton of money if I end up having them all day but I also can not have an afternoon assistant if enough of them leave at 2 or 2:30 so I can save money there. Thoughts?

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by snbauser

I do not take school agers so have never had a B/A school rate. I am applying to be a pre-kindergarten facility through the state. These are state paid spots for 4 years olds and the required school day is 6 - 6 1/2 hrs. We are allowed to charge a before/after school fee if the parents want to use us for additional hours. What is a fair rate? Keep in mind that this program is for at risk children so in many cases these are low income families. I want to make it reasonably priced so they can afford it if they need it, but costly enough that if they don't need it, they won't use it. Does that make sense? I charge $130/week right now for full time up to 10 hrs/day. But the state will only pay about $500/month for the spots. I'm thinking of charging $100/week for the 6 - 6 1/2 hr program and then $30/week for before and after school care. Or should I charge like $3 - 5/hr for the after school care? I don't want to lose a ton of money if I end up having them all day but I also can not have an afternoon assistant if enough of them leave at 2 or 2:30 so I can save money there. Thoughts?

What's the required hours for the program? They do 500 a month with a set fixed amount of total hours you have to do in an X amount of months? Do they set the days? Is this factoring in holiday and breaks?

I would be tempted to do the 500 a month flat for the six hours a day and leave it at that.

Does the six hours include a nap period? If not, you should calculate it as a full day because it has the same number of direct care hours as it would be if they were sleeping a portion of the day.

[familyschoolcare]

Find out how much your state would pay for before and after school and start from that.

[snbauser]

For most of them the state probably will not be paying for the before and after school unless they are already receiving state subsidy because this is a separate program. So this would be out of pocket costs to the parent.

The program is 6-6 1/2 hrs/day. I could set the hours but it normally goes from 8-2 or 2:30. It is a 180 day program and follows the local public school calendar. It does include a "quiet/nap time".

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by snbauser

For most of them the state probably will not be paying for the before and after school unless they are already receiving state subsidy because this is a separate program. So this would be out of pocket costs to the parent.

The program is 6-6 1/2 hrs/day. I could set the hours but it normally goes from 8-2 or 2:30. It is a 180 day program and follows the local public school calendar. It does include a "quiet/nap time".

why is it a half hour leeway?

[snbauser]

Originally Posted by nannyde

why is it a half hour leeway?

Not sure. The contract says "for a regular school day - 6 - 6 1/2 hrs/day".

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by snbauser

Not sure. The contract says "for a regular school day - 6 - 6 1/2 hrs/day".

So I would do only six. You are going to have the kids dropped off early and picked up late. That half hour leeway needs to be for THAT not for the hours of service.

I'll tell ya... if I were you I would consider JUST doing the six hour days for the 5 hundred a month. Calculate the EXACT number of days you would do based on last years calander. If you would be paid that 500 for the nine or ten months... August thru May or just September thru May and deduct out all of the breaks for everyhing... conferences, holidays, spring break... goverment holidays etc.

I think you will find that hourly rate to be good enough to make it work. When you start adding care hours the take will be MUCH less.

If you have them come from eight to two. Then you can do school from eight to lunch and then nap(12-2). You will have about 3ish hours of direct care. The nap break will be planning time and getting kids up to leave.

I would DO THAT if it were in my area... I would rather do six hour days with three direct care hours a day for 500 a month and all the MANY MANY days of closing for school days off... for ten months than what I do now.

[familyschoolcare]

Originally Posted by snbauser

For most of them the state probably will not be paying for the before and after school unless they are already receiving state subsidy because this is a separate program. So this would be out of pocket costs to the parent.

.

What I meant was if they where receiving state subsidy what would they (the state) pay. Then use that a a base to set fees for before/after school care.